New Delhi, February 28
“You are all working overtime to finish democracy in this country”, a visibly angry Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee burst out seeing proceedings being disrupted in Parliament for the third consecutive day over the farmers’ issue.
Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day after Opposition members raised slogans demanding loan waiver to farmers.
“It is matter of great sorrow...on the one hand, you are asking for more sittings..so many notices have been given by so many honourable members. These important matters cannot be discussed. The discussion on the motion of thanks on the President’s address is to start today,” Chatterjee said in the Lok Sabha regretting that the members were “not willing to work”.
“You are working overtime to finish democracy in this country,” he remarked when members turned a deaf ear to his repeated pleas to allow the House to take up important business.
Finding the members in an unrelenting mood, Chatterjee said “with great sorrow, sadness and resentment, I am forced to adjourn the House”.
With an eye on the likely farmers’ package being announced in the budget tomorrow, the political parties have been jockeying to position themselves as being responsible for securing it.
The only redeeming feature in the House was that Finance
Minister P Chidambaram was allowed to present the Economic Survey 2007-08 without any disturbance.
— PTI
