Cong protest stalls debate on GST Bill in RS again

Vociferous protests by the Congress on Wednesday once again stalled discussion in Rajya Sabha on the constitution amendment bill for the Goods and Services Tax, even as the chair asked protesting members to allow discussion on the bill saying it was their 'baby' and termed the protest as "undemocratic".

Soon after the House met after two adjournments and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley moved the Constitution amendment bill for the GST for discussion, Congress members stormed the well shouting a resounding 'No'.

As Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asked members that since the Bill was moved on Tuesday, it was time for discussion now, the Congress members shouted slogans and encircled the well, leading to adjournment of the house for the day.

Protesting Congress members had on Tuesday too blocked a debate on the bill. The monsoon session ends on Thursday.

Earlier, the Congress forced two adjournments of the upper house in the pre-lunch session as its members and those of the Communist Party of India-Marxist and the Janata Dal-United strongly objected to some business houses asking Parliament to function and sought a response from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Lalit Modi and Vyapam issues.

Before adjourning the house for the day, Kurien told agitating Congress members, "This is your bill. You shouting members, GST is your bill. It is a baby of Congress party. If you want, you can vote against the bill ... no one is preventing you (from voting)", adding that the bill was introduced by the earlier United Progressive Alliance government.

Disapproving the conduct of the Congress members stalling a debate on the bill, Kurien said "this is undemocratic. This is an affront on the Parliamentary democracy. I don't approve of this. I totally disapprove with this."

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also asked the chair to remove the protesting members from the Well. He even sought their suspension for stalling the proceedings.

"This is hooliganism by Congress members. This is anarchy to stall the progress and growth of the country. ... They are against country's progress and want to stall it. In democracy, such hooliganism will not be allowed. This is a conspiracy against country's development. They should be removed from the well and suspended," he said.

Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, JD-U chief Sharad Yadav and the CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury attacked the government for "using" the media and business leaders to attack the opposition for the disruptions in Parliament.

As government said it was ready for a debate on any issue and accused the opposition of running away from it, the opposition sought a discussion under a rule that entails voting, on the lines of Lok Sabha.

Soon after the House assembled for the day, Opposition and treasury benches exchanged sharp barbs after Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said the charge that the BJP government was "a government for money bags has been vindicated" by the "attack on Parliament by capitalists".

"Today that charge is vindicated," he said adding that Parliament represents 125 crore Indians. The JD-U leader was referring to an online signature campaign in which over 15,000 people, including the country's top industrialists, have urged lawmakers to allow Parliament to function, debate and legislate.

Finance Minister and Leader of the House Arun Jaitley retorted, telling Yadav "does the common man want Parliament not to function? ... You are guilty of stalling democracy."

This comment triggered Congress members to rush to the well raising slogans against the Government, forcing the first adjournment till noon. When the House reassembled for Question Hour, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said Yadav had raised an important issue involving the prestige of the House, as some industrialists were trying to "teach us how to run Parliament."

"There have been comments made against MPs everyday. It is a question of Parliament's prestige. The ruling party is using media and business houses to attack the Congress," he said, charging the government with "terrorising" channels who do not toe their line, but "this cannot terrorise MPs."

Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) said questions were being raised on the functioning of the House and business houses are telling MPs how to run Parliament.

"They cannot interfere with our work. We also want the House to run," he said, demanding that there be a discussion on the Indian Premiere League row along with voting, as was being done in Lok Sabha. "Why can't we have it in this House also and restore the functioning of this House," he said.

He demanded a thorough probe into the Lalit Modi controversy involving External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and the same rules should should apply to all, including the prime minister, who "claims to be the 'pradhan sewak'".

Yadav then got up again to say that government has not recovered non-performing assets from business houses, who are now advising MPs how to function. Chairman Hamid Ansari said no motion that entails voting has been moved and asked them not to raise the demand now.

Congress members strongly objected when Naqvi said "we are ready for a discussion. We are ready to give a befitting reply. They are causing roadblocks in the path of country's progress. The country will not forgive them. They are against the nation's progress."

Congress members, who were in the Well, resumed slogan-shouting and forced another adjournment till 2 PM, as they raised slogans like "punjipatio ke dalalo ki sarkar, nahi

chalegi, nahi chalegi (a government of pimps of capitalists will not be tolerated)", "Modi teri tanashahi nahi chalegi (Modi's dictatorship will not be tolerated)" and "kala dhan ka kya hua (what happened to the blackmoney)".

Derek O'Brien (TMC) urged the Chair to allow nominated members H K Dua and Ashok Ganguly to speak as they were retiring and Kurien said he will allow them on Thursday morning.

When the house assembled in the morning, Kurien had said he has received three notices under rule 267 seeking suspension of list of business to take up discussion on the subjects and rejected those by Naresh Agarwal (Samajwadi Party) and CPI-M leader T K Rangarajan.

Rangarajan's notice had sought the prime minister's response and fixing of responsibility in the Lalitgate and Vyapam scam, saying such a motion was similar to the one moved earlier and which he had allowed but concerned members did not move it.

Anand Sharma (Congress) said the opposition parties have been from the first day demanding fixing of accountability and taking action and unless Prime Minister has responded, every motion has to be treated as fresh.

Referring to charges of involvement of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in helping controversial former IPL head Lalit Modi obtain travel documents, Sharma said if a Cabinet minister is involved, it has to be the prime minister who should respond.

Kurien however said he had allowed the motion to be moved but the concerned member did not move the motion. "What is the point" in bringing another motion when no one is willing to move it, he said.

"If Rangarajan is ready to move the motion, I will allow ... I am ready to allow discussion, are you ready to move the motion," he asked.

Tapan Sen (CPI-M) said the prime minister must be present in the House to respond to the discussion. Kurien said a motion cannot be conditional. "You cannot say who should come and reply. I cannot accept conditions."