Demonetisation: HM calls all party meet, opposition rejects proposal

New Delhi: Opposition parties on Thursday denied entertaining the Centre’s move of informally reaching out to them in an effort to break the week-long deadlock in Parliament over the demonetisation move. The opposition parties have denied attending the meeting called by the Home Minister Rajnath Singh and have stepped up their attack announcing a nation-wide protest next week. The opposition parties stated that there would be no talks with the government till November 28.

Akrosh Diwas to be observed on November 28:

• The opposition has also decided to observe November 28 as Akrosh Diwas and would protest against the move of Centre. The opposition parties have also unified against the government on Wednesday last about 200 Members of Parliament from 12 political parties including the Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC), Left Parties, Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) had protested inside the Parliament complex.

Other developments:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to speak on the issue in Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
• Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Bhartiya Janata Party Member of Parliament Ananth Kumar was also expected to meet the leaders of key opposition parties. Kumar said that the meeting would not be formal one and everyone is allowed to give their ideas and views on the issue. “It is not a formal meeting; we are treating all parties equally. Everybody can give suggestions,” stated Kumar.
• It may be mentioned that since the day the winter session has started, both the Houses of Parliament have seen no legislative businesses due to the disruptions created by opposition parties. The completion of one week of the winter session was marked by protests organised by opposition parties both inside and outside the Parliament.
• “Our demand is that PM represents the country and he should come to Parliament and sit through the entire debate and hear out us and the other opposition leaders. We feel there is a scam behind this decision. We feel he informed his own people before and the opposition is firm that it wants a JPC,” Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi had said earlier on Tuesday.

PM marked his presence:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended Lok Sabha on Wednesday but opposition parties continued to disrupt proceedings, demanding that the discussion on demonetisation should be concluded with voting on the issue in both Houses of Parliament.
• The senior ministers of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), however, argued that there could be no voting on a policy decision already taken by the government.
• Both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha were adjourned early after repeated disruptions.