Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Thursday caused outrage in the Rajya Sabha after referencing the Uri attacks to criticise the Centre’s demonetisation move. His comments were later expunged from the officials records of the House. Outside the Rajya Sabha, Azad confirmed that had said that more people had died after the government had demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 than soldiers during attack by militants in Uri on September 18. His remarks provoked a tumultuous response in the House, which had already suffered through a day of outrage.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said his comments were an “insult to the martyrs”, and deemed them anti-national. “It shows frustration and desperation of the Congress’s top leadership following the positive response from the public to the demonetisation move,” he said.
The second day of the Winter Session in the Rajya Sabha was adjourned several times with Opposition parties, led by the Congress, demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s response on the crisis in the country following the Centre’s decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. Proceedings in the Upper House were first adjourned till 11.30 am, and then till noon, after Opposition leaders trooped into the Well shouting slogans against the prime minister.
The Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha was disrupted by constant sloganeering and shouting by Opposition leaders. The All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam also joined in the frenzy, demanding that Karnataka be directed to release water to Tamil Nadu, and that the Cauvery Management Board be set up.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien said, “The person who made the [demonetization] announcement at 8 pm on November 8, where is he?” Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien said, “If the finance minister is available [for the debate], that is enough.”
The situation was no different in the Lok Sabha, which was adjourned for the day after Opposition parties demanded a debate on demonetisation under a rule that entails voting. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said, “We all want a discussion under the Rule 56 so that we can know what is the stand of all parties when they vote. Then everyone will participate.”
However, the government held that it was ready to talk about the issue, but only under Rule 193, which does not involve the formal motion of voting. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the government did not want two voices to emerge from Parliament.
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