Human chain unites Opposition

 ​New Delhi/ Hyderabad: In a rare display of unity, all Opposition parties led by the Congress on Thursday came together and staged a protest at Mahatma Gandhi statue and organised a human chain on the premises of Parliament resenting NDA’s indifference to several issues of national importance.

The protestors formed the human chain from Rajya Sabha chairman's office to that of the Prime Minister. Those who took part in the protest included Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi, party president Rahul Gandhi and leaders of Telugu Desam, Samajwadi Party BSP, TMC, NCP, left parties and DMK. They also staged a dharna at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi. Congress general secretary K C Venugopal, who took part in the protest, accused the government of making a mockery of the proceedings of Parliament and not holding discussions on key issues.

Those who were conspicuous by their absence were those belonging to the YSRCP and AIADMK. The protest was held in the backdrop of the 13 Opposition parties making a representation to Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Wednesday requesting them to ensure that discussion would take place in Parliament on issues ranging from CBSE paper leakage, PNB scam, SC/ST Atrocities Act, constitution of Cauvery board and so on.

In Lok Sabha too, on Thursday, the scene was painfully similar with AIADMK members trooping into the well and the Speaker expressing helplessness in taking up no-confidence motion when the House was not in order. She first adjourned the House till noon and when the situation remained the same even after the House reassembled, she adjourned it to Friday.

Congress leader in the Upper House Ghulam Nabi Azad said that it would be in the interest of democracy if the NDA allows discussion on various issues of national importance. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that there is order in the House and facilitate discussion on the issues. He said that the Congress was game if the Centre decides to extend the session by two or three days more.

The TDP has been moving notices for no-confidence motion against the NDA for denial of Special Category Status for AP in Lok Sabha, but no discussion took place on their notices so far. The TDP MPs said that the NDA was whiling away time without implementing provisions of the AP State Reorganisation Act, 2014 and vowed to fight with the Centre till it gets off the high horse and delivers the SCS and other benefits to the state as promised.

The second leg of the Budget Session of Parliament which began on March 5 was more or less a complete washout. Even on Thursday, the penultimate day for the session, there were acrimonious scenes in the House with the members of the AIADMK stalling the proceedings demanding the constitution of Cauveri River Water Management Board. Barring the finance bill which was passed by Lok Sabha, the second instalment of the budget session transacted no business.

The proceedings in the Rajya Sabha too witnessed uproarious scenes when it met in the morning, leading to the first adjournment till 2 pm. Thereafter, the continued ruckus forced the House to be adjourned for another 15 minutes and then for the day. In Lok Sabha heated exchanges took place between Congress members and those of the BJP when Sonia Gandhi took exception to her name being taken by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar for the disruption of the budget session.

After listed papers were laid on the table, Congress, NCP, Left, TDP and RJD members stood at their seats seeking the Speaker's ruling on the notices they had given on the no-confidence motion, moved by some of them.