Black money issue rocks Parliament

Both Houses of Parliament were disrupted on Monday over the issue of government’s alleged failure to bring back black money stashed in foreign banks and the recent  violence in Mumbai.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned three times as the Opposition BJP and ally Shiv Sena raised the issues, triggering a war of words with the ruling Congress. The Rajya Sabha was adjourned twice over black money. Just an hour before BJP president Nitin Gadkari went to Ramlila Maidan to join yoga guru Baba Ramdev’s stir to press the government to bring back black money stashed abroad, party MPs disrupted the question hour in the Lok Sabha. As soon as the Speaker finished reading out a congratulatory message to the Indian contingent at the London Olympics, the BJP members demanded a discussion on black money.

The Speaker urged them not to disrupt question hour proceedings, but the MPs trooped into the well of the House, demanding an immediate discussion on black money and Mumbai violence. The Speaker had to adjourn the House till 12 noon. Later, speaking during zero hour, BJP’s  Harin Pathak slammed the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for its inability to bring back black money deposited in foreign bank accounts. Sanjay Nirupam and other Congress MPs protested, leading to a verbal duel between the Treasury and Opposition benches.

Shiv Sena MP Ananth Gite raised the issue of violence in Mumbai during a protest against riots in the Kokrajhar district of Assam. Slamming the Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra, he wondered how the organisers were given permission to hold the demonstration. Amid interruptions by Congress MPs, the Shiv Sena members trooped into the well of the House leading to yet another adjournment till 2 pm.

After the House reassembled, the Shiv Sena and BJP members from Maharashtra shouted slogans demanding dismissal of the Prithviraj Chavan government. Deputy Speaker Karia Munda adjourned the House for the day.