NEW DELHI: The BJP veteran L K Advani once more vented out his frustrations on the ongoing pandemonium in both the Houses of Parliament and expressed his feelings "I feel like resigning" to senior ministers in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Within minutes of the second adjournment of the Lok Sabha proceedings around noon, Advani expressed his anguish to the Union Minister for Textile Smriti Irani, who in turn sought the attention of the Union Minister of Home Rajnath Singh.
Advani was heard telling Singh that he should tell the Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to find ways to run the proceedings of the House smoothly. The BJP veteran stressed that the House must debate the issue of demonetization on Friday, which, incidentally, is also the last day of the Winter session of Parliament.
The Trinamool Congress MP Idris Ali later told reporters that the BJP veteran shared with him his anguish, saying that if the House did not function on Friday also, the session would be seen having washed out. Advani was heard telling Singh, that the discussion must be ensured on demonetization under any rule. It may be recalled that Advani had also vented out his frustration last week during the repeated disruptions.
The BJP veteran was seen sitting in the House in a pensive mood. Later in the evening the Speaker during a book launch function expressed helplessness over the continued pandemonium in the House, with the MPs not allowing the normal functioning of the Lok Sabha.
"I understand Advaniji's pain. Parliament is meant to be a forum for healthy debates. It is the duty of MPs to engage in discussion rather than disruptions. The reality is, however, opposite when the proceedings are not running as per the expectations,” Mahajan said at the function where Advani was also present.
The Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi lauded Advani’s expression of frustration. “Advani ji is fighting for democratic values within his BJP. Thank you Advani ji for fighting for democratic values within your party," tweeted Gandhi.