FDI move rocks Parliament

The united Opposition, joined in by the ruling Congress’s key partner Trinamool Congress, lodged a vociferous protest against the government’s decision allowing foreign equity in the retail sector, forcing adjournments of both Houses without any significant business being transacted on Friday.

As soon as the Lok Sabha assembled in the morning, the agitating members created a ruckus in the House and shouted slogans against the government’s decision, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House till 12 noon.

The Trinamool Congress members, joined in by members from the Left and the BJP, led the protest and gathered near Speaker Meira Kumar’s podium, raising pressure on the government buffeted most of the last one year by scams. Members from the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) and the BJP were carrying banners inside the House asking the government to reverse its decision. But, they did not storm the well of the House.

The scenes in the Rajya Sabha were much similar. Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley rose to make a statement but could not speak in the din. AIADMK members showed a vernacular newspaper that reported on the movie “Dam 999”, which the party alleged has shown the Mullaperiyar dam in Kerala that feeds Tamil Nadu. Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari repeatedly requested the members for order in the House but finding them unrelenting, he adjourned the House till noon.

Later, when the Lok Sabha reassembled, it witnessed an impromptu discussion on the attack on Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar after Speaker Meira Kumar strongly condemned the incident .