The winter session of Parliament began on Thursday without transacting any business as both the Houses were adjourned for the day after obituary references of its sitting members. However, the UPA Government faced the ire of the Opposition on Parliament House premises for its move to introduce controversial Bills such as the Communal Violence Bill and Telangana Bill. Minutes before the beginning of winter session, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made an appeal to all political parties to ensure the smooth functioning of Parliament and sought to evolve a broad consensus on all important matters.
As soon as the Lok Sabha met for the day, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar led the House in expressing condolences over the death of sitting member Murarilal Singh and other past members before adjourning the House for the day.
In the Rajya Sabha, Chairman Hamid Ansari read out the obituary references of its past and present members, including sitting member Mohan Singh and singer Manna Dey. The Rajya Sabha also condoled the loss of lives in the terror incident in a mall in Nairobi, Ratangarh temple stampeded in Madhya Pradesh and cyclones Phailin, Helen and super typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Ansari also expressed sadness over the two incidents of luxury buses catching fire, reportedly causing death of 52 people in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Just before the beginning of the winter session of Parliament, Singh said: “This session of Parliament is of short duration, and therefore, it is obligatory on the part of all political parties represented in our Parliament to make their best possible efforts to get essential business of the two Houses transacted as speedily and as smoothly as possible.”
The Prime Minister also said whatever urgent financial business is there would have to be transacted in priority basis.
Govt to seek oppn help on Bills: PM
To a query on Lokpal Bill, the Prime Minister replied, “We are talking to various political parties to ensure smooth passage of essential Bills.Meanwhile, MPs from the Telangana region staged a dharna on Parliament premises opposing the Centre’s move to create Rayala Telangana.