The Government’s floor strategy in both the Houses of Parliament failed on Thursday, leading to adjournment of the Lok Sabha for the day. As a result, the crucial food and land Bills, listed on the agenda, were not taken up in the Lower House.
The Government failed to ensure the suspension of 10 MPs from Andhra Pradesh in Lok Sabha, while in Rajya Sabha, the Opposition’s stern stand forced it to withdraw a motion seeking appointment of two members to the Joint Parliamentary Committee probing into the spectrum allocations.
In the Lok Sabha, there was a ruckus soon after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath moved a motion seeking the suspension of 10 MPs from Andhra Pradesh — six from Congress and four from Telugu Desam Party. The MPs have been protesting over the Telangana issue since the day the session began on August 5.
The TDP members named in the motion are K. Nimmala, K.N. Rao, M. Venugopala Reddy and N. Sivaprasad, while the six Congress members are A. Sai Prathap, A. Venkatarami Reddy, L. Rajagopal, M. Sreenivasulu Reddy, V. Aruna Kumar and G.V. Harsha Kumar.
Earlier in the day, a TDP member added to the commotion by pulling out a whip and lashing himself in protest against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
Nath proposed the suspension as “the House had not been able to function since the beginning of this session in the light of the protests by these members.”
Soon, the entire Opposition was on its feet, protesting the motion.
Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj rose to oppose the motion. “We oppose this. We support Telangana, but the Congress’s decision on a separate State was done in an inappropriate manner… Their MLAs from Andhra came and staged a dharna at the Gandhi statue in Parliament. Their MPs shout and disrupt proceedings. They could not even convince the Chief Minister (of Andhra Pradesh),” she said.
The Left parties, Trinamool Congress, DMK, Janata Dal (United) were also seen protesting loudly against the motion.
Before moving the motion, Nath responded to the Opposition’s demand for a statement from the Prime Minister in the House on the ‘missing coalgate files’.
Earlier, Sushma Swaraj reminded the Government of their three-day-old demand for a statement from the Prime Minister on the ‘serious’ issue of coal block allocations and the ‘missing’ files. She said the Opposition wanted the House to function but that did not mean the Government would be allowed to do as it wished.
In the Rajya Sabha, the Government had to defer a motion seeking the appointment of senior Congress leader P. Bhattacharya, and nominated member Ashok Ganguly to the JPC in place of present Minister of State in the Cabinet E.M.S. Natchiappan and DMK leader Tiruchi Shiva.
The Opposition leaders argued that the Centre was trying to change the composition of the panel.
Opposition slammed
IANS report adds: Meanwhile, the Congress has accused the Opposition parties, particularly the BJP, of trying to block the Food Security Bill in Parliament. “Parties are looking at reasons not to pass the food bill,” Congress spokesperson Sandeep Dikshit told reporters here.