NEW DELHI: Both Houses of Parliament did not perform any legislative business on Monday with the opposition MPs demanding that the matter of Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan scam, special status to Andhra Pradesh and constitution of Cauvery management board be taken up for discussion on priority.
As the second half of the Budget Session started on Monday, a united opposition decided to take on the Government. The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha saw noisy protests by MPs from the opposition parties as the Congress and the Trinamool Congress protested over the bank fraud by Nirav Modi. Several adjournment notices to take up discussion on bank frauds were given by MPs in Rajya Sabha.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) members came into the Well of the House, demanding special status to Andhra while the AIADMK protested for early establishment of the Cauvery management board. TRS sought increase in reservation quota in Telangana.
At the meeting of the Lok Sabha’s Business Advisory Committee chaired by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, representatives of the Congress, Trinamool Congress and the BJD insisted that the debate should be taken up at 12 noon for four hours and after that other issues should come up for discussion.Rajya Sabha also saw repeated adjournments with an irate Chairman Venkaiah Naidu asking the MPs “are we in Parliament or somewhere else”.
The Congress demanded a reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the whereabouts of Nirav Modi, one of the alleged kingpins of the Rs 12,700 crore fraud at PNB. After repeated disruptions, both the Houses were adjourned for the day. The Opposition is likely to continue with protest in Parliament on Tuesday.
Earlier, before the beginning of the proceedings of the House, BJP members were seen clapping when Modi walked into the House. With folded hands, Modi greeted the members as well as the Opposition benches.
As the BJP and its allies captured power in the three Northeast states, many of the saffron party MPs were seen wearing the Assamese ‘gamosa’.