Mamata Banerjee's no-confidence motion falls through amid din in Parliament

Left has already given notice for discussion under the same rule. Samajwadi Party has also given notice for adjournment motion on FDI, which Speaker Meira Kumar said was under her consideration.

Pressing for a discussion on FDI in retail under a rule that entails voting, Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj said the government has shown contempt for the assurances given by then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee who is now the President.

Swaraj said a vote on the issue would show that people of the country were against the move which would affect small traders.

She accused the government of committing "gross insult" of Parliament by not fulfilling its assurance of taking the House into confidence on the issue.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said the government was ready to discuss any issue on the floor of the House as long as it was within the rules of Parliamentary procedure.

"We cannot say we want it under this rule, on this day and at this time. We have to explain that this is not being reasonable," he told reporters about the Opposition attitude.

Speaking at a meeting where CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury was also present, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said voting will have to be there on the FDI issue.

"Everybody will have to disclose their stand on the issue in Parliament. Without a vote this policy cannot be implemented," he said, taking a veiled dig at SP and BSP noting that there were "some loyal Opposition parties".

The motion, first in the current Lok Sabha, was moved by Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party leader Sudip Bandopadhyay and was supported by BJD.

However, it lacked the requisite numbers as only TMC's 18 members and BJD's three members supported.

The motion said, "This House expresses want of confidence in the Council of Ministers over its decision to allow 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail as it is going to harm millions of small businesses."

... contd.

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