Opposition parties continued clash over demonetisation issue

TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ The Lok Sabha witnessed a virtual washout for the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday as the government and opposition parties continued to clash over the demonetisation issue and the rule under which a debate should take place on it, with the former ruling out any provision of voting in the discussion.

Opposition members, including those from the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Communist Party of India-Marxist and the Biju Janata Dal, besides the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Shiv Sena, both part of the ruling National Democratic Alliance, expressed their views in the House when it assembled at noon after one adjournment, with the Sena changing its stance on demonetisation and sparing the government of embarrassment by praising the move and supporting its stand that the debate be held under Rule 193, which does not entail voting.

Sena had been critical of the demonetisation move and its members even joined a TMC-led protest march to the President last week, but softened their stand after a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The House saw continued protests by Opposition members soon after it assembled for the day, with Congress and TMC MPs trooping into the Well, forcing its adjournment first till noon and later for the day.