2G: Parliament adjourned as trouble begins from word go on JPC

The government stuck to its position even as Parliament failed to function on the eighth consecutive day because of the stand-off. Opposition members created pandemonium in both Houses of Parliament.

Congress sought to take the sting out of the Opposition attack by raising corruption charges against Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.

“All I can say is that the deadlock continues,” Yechury told reporters after meeting Mukherjee since the Finance Minister had promised yesterday to get back to the Opposition after consulting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Yechury said Mukherjee told him that the government was firm on its stand of ‘no JPC’. He said the Opposition has also stuck to its demand for a JPC probe.

Noting that the “stalemate is continuing”,Mukherjee termed it as an “unfortunate” situation and said “let us see how we can break the stalemate”.

Mukherjee referred to his meeting with leaders of Opposition parties yesterday and said: “We could not arrive at a solution.”

He pointed out the government had suggested a multi-disciplinary team would be attached with the PAC to investigate the matter but it was rejected.

Asked when the deadlock could end,the Leader of the Lok Sabha said,”You will come to know as soon as it is broken.”

A senior minister,meanwhile,said efforts were on to end the impasse in Parliament.

Amid the stand-off,a section of Congressmen was also in favour of a JPC probe so that the House could resume its normal functioning.

“We will have to agree to a JPC either now or later. A number of party MPs also feel there is no harm in accepting the Opposition demand,” a minister from the Congress said.

Another young Congress MP also said there was a view in a section of the party that there was no harm in ordering a JPC probe.

Meanwhile,a senior minister scotched speculation that the winter session could be truncated.

As both the government and Opposition stuck to their positions,Parliament could not function for the eighth consecutive day as the Opposition created pandemonium over it.

Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day without transacting any substantive business in the wake of unruly scenes created by all Opposition parties while the Congress was seeking the dismissal of Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa over corruption charges.

It was trouble from word go in both the Houses,forcing adjournment initially till noon and then for the day.

In the Lok Sabha,members from Opposition parties including those from the BJP,BJD,JD(U),SP trooped into the well demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe reports of irregularities in the allocation of 2G spectrum.

The Treasury benches,in turn,demanded the resignation of Yeddyurappa over corruption charges.

Some Congress members almost rushed to the well,chanting slogans against Yeddyurappa and carrying placards which read: ‘Book Bellary Brothers’ and ‘Punish Yeddyurappa to Protect Karnataka from Mining Mafia and Land Grabbers’.

They were asked to retreat to the aisles by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal.

Trinamool Congress members were seen waving the list of questions indicating their willingness for normal business.

Slogans and counter-slogans went on for a while before Speaker Meira Kumar adjourned the House till noon.

When the House assembled again,similar scenes were witnessed. Amid the din,papers and reports were laid on the table after which the House was adjourned for the day.

The stand-off was also witnessed in the Rajya Sabha where Opposition members rushed to the well soon after Chairman Hamid Ansari completed obituary references.

Congress members too moved into the aisles demanding sacking of Yeddyurappa over the alleged land scam in the state.

While Opposition members shouted: “We Want JPC”,members in the Treasury benches held placards reading: ‘Sack Yeddyurappa’ and ‘Book Bellary Brothers’.

AIADMK members held copies of a magazine carrying a cover story on former Telecom Minister A Raja’s alleged role in the irregularities in allocation of 2G telecom spectrum.

Ansari took up the listed question of the day and asked members not to display placards.

“No raising of posters,” he said,but the protesting members refused to relent,forcing him to adjourn the House till noon.

Similar scenes were repeated when the House met again. Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan,who was in the Chair,kept pleading that members should not show placards but they did not oblige.

Due to the impasse over the 2G spectrum issue,Parliament has failed to function since November 10,a day after the winter session commenced.