Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the back foot over popular opposition to his bid to make it easier to buy farmland for industry, made passing the less controversial GST bill his main objective in the session.
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While the government had listed for a discussion under rule 193 which does not entail voting, the Congress wanted it to be debated as an adjournment motion.
Passing this bill includes an amendment to the constitution which means it needs to be cleared by two-third majority in both houses of parliament.
The chances of approving the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the “monsoon” sitting of parliament faded after opposition politicians yelled slogans and the speaker adjourned proceedings until Thursday, the last day of the session.
At a meeting convened by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav told Congress leaders to spell out their demand for breaking the logjam in the House, allow the Minister concerned and government to answer their allegations and end the matter through debate. “The reaction he gave on India Inc. online campaign requesting that parliament should function and GST Bill should be passed is a classic case of “shooting the messenger”, Naidu told reporters. “He hailed them and asked the party and members to do so as well”. Taking a jibe at Modi, she said the Congress can not deny the Prime Minister this prerogative. “The government is threatening the media and businessmen and using them against the Congress“, Azad said, leading to protests from the treasury benches. On Sunday, the Congress showed no signs of relenting on its protests on the Lalit Modi and Vyapam issues and hit out at the BJP for its ‘politics of abuse’.
As 25 Congress members returned to the house after being suspended for five days, disruptions in proceedings of the lower house, as had happened last week, were witnessed. “Now the charge that this government is of the moneybags has been vindicated”, Yadav said during zero hour, alleging this was denigration of Parliament.
“Rahul Gandhi is fighting inside Parliament and we are fighting outside, Vasundhara Raje cannot hide anymore”, he said.
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The Congress party has disrupted Parliament’s functioning for the past two weeks demanding the resignation of three BJP leaders for allegedly helping a former Indian cricket official who is facing investigation for financial irregularities and a multi-million dollar job recruitment scandal.
