M A I N   N E W S

Opposition boycotts House proceedings
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 14
Opposition parties led by the Congress boycotted the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha today in protest against the Chair’s decision to disallow a discussion on the PAC issue. The House was adjourned just before the lunch recess without completing the day’s business as the remaining members expressed their desire to go to their home states to participate in the Independence Day celebrations.

When the proceedings started, the House wore a deserted look as the Congress, CPM, RSP and Rashtriya Janata Dal members were absent. However, one prominent party not to join the boycott was the Samajwadi Party.

Mr Ram Gopal Yadav and Mr Rama Shankar Kaushik of the Samajwadi Party were the only ones from the Opposition present in the House at that time. They were later joined by other party members. The proceedings of the House remained slow as Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat did not rush through the questions and their replies.

However, the House was adjourned till Monday soon after Railway Minister Nitish Kumar placed a statement showing the supplementary demand for grants of his ministry. The request for adjourning the House was made by Mr P.G. Narayanan (AIADMK).

Thereafter, Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptullah adjourned the House, wishing “a Happy Independence Day” to all members.

Meanwhile, the Opposition today decided to boycott Rajya Sabha proceedings for the rest of the monsoon session as a mark of protest against the government’s refusal to solve the logjam over the PAC issue.

“We cannot cooperate with the government because of the manner in which the PAC issue has been handled. The government has not taken any initiative to present a formula which could be mutually acceptable to resolve the tangle”, Rajya Sabha member Nilotpal Basu (CPM) told newspersons here.

Mr Basu said Opposition members would also not claim any allowance for the rest of the days of the session even though they would mark their attendance.