Parliament disrupted as Opposition seeks PM’s resignation

PTI

New Delhi, 22 Aug 2012: Parliament was paralysed for the second day running with non-Left Opposition today pressing for resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the wake of the CAG report on the coal block allocation.

 

Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessed tumultuous scenes with Opposition members targeting the ruling Congress by alleging corruption in the allocation, in which the CAG has spoken of Rs 1.86 lakh crore "undue benefit" to private firms.

 

Lok Sabha was adjourned twice and Rajya Sabha thrice till 2 PM.

 

"Koyle ki dalali hai, sari Congress kali hai" (there is a scam in coal allocation, the entire Congress is black) and ’Pradhan Mantri gaddi chhoro’ (PM quit) were some of the slogans that rent the air in the two Houses.

 

Congress members countered the Opposition attack by hailing the Prime Minister, who was not present in either House.

 

Members of BJP, Shiv Sena, JD-U, TDP, BJD as also AIADMK trooped into the Well of the Lower House.

 

Left members were also on their feet protesting on the same issue, seeking a statement from the Prime Minister on the coal block allocation but not his resignation.

 

In the Rajya Sabha, NDA members were on their feet raising slogans. They were countered by those from the treasury benches.

 

In both Houses, government said it was ready for discussion on the issue. Minister of State in PMO V Narayanasamy said in Lok Sabha that the opposition should not run away from discussion. A similar remark was made by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla in the Upper House.