Key UPA partner Trinamool Congress today virtually led the charge in Parliament against the controversial decision to allow FDI in retail, an issue which saw a united Opposition forcing repeated adjournments.
Members from Mamata Banerjee’s party stormed the well in the Rajya Sabha and were seen protesting from the aisles in the Lok Sabha against the decision of the Union Cabinet to allow 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail and 100 per cent FDI in single-brand retail.
The Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr Anand Sharma, who made identical statements in both the Houses on the issue, faced angry Opposition as also Trinamool Congress members who chanted ‘Cancel FDI in retail’.
BJP and Shiv Sena members in the Lok Sabha carried placards and banners against the decision that was welcomed by the industry — both in the country and abroad.
Left parties, which have been agitating for long against FDI in retail, were equally forceful in their protests.
As unruly scenes continued, Mr M. Thambidurai, who was in the chair during zero hour, adjourned the House till Monday.
With today’s adjournment, proceedings in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha in the first week of the Winter Session were almost a washout following turmoil over a host of issues including price rise, black money and separate Telangana.
Lok Sabha saw an impromptu discussion on the assault on the Agriculture Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar, after Speaker, Ms Meira Kumar, strongly condemned the incident.
She was supported by leaders from all parties led by the Leader of the House, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, and Leader of the Opposition, ms Sushma Swaraj.
Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon without transacting any business after the Chairman, Mr Hamid Ansari, condemned the assault on Pawar.
As soon as the Upper House assembled for Zero Hour, members from Trinamool Congress, BJP and AIADMK trooped into the well shouting slogans against the FDI move and demanded its rollback.
Members from SP, BSP, CPI and CPI-M were also on their feet shouting — “No FDI.’’
The members also refused to allow the Home Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, to speak when he rose to move for leave to introduce a bill to further amend the Citizenship Act.
As the bedlam continued, the Deputy Speaker, Mr K. Rahman Khan, who was in the chair, adjourned the House till Monday.
Some members from Kerala were seen waving copies of Malayalam newspapers carrying a report on Tamil Nadu government’s decision to ban a movie that depicts of a dam burst.
In the melee, Congress members from Telangana were seen rushing to the well with placards in support of their demand.
After the Lok Sabha was adjourned, the Commerce Minister was seen talking to Swaraj, apparently expressing government’s readiness for a debate on the contentious FDI issue.
Ms Swaraj was heard remarking as to why the Government did not consult the Opposition on the issue which could affect millions of small traders.