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Rajya Sabha: Lokpal fiasco triggers all out war between govt, opposition
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NEW DELHI: A political war broke out between government and Opposition on Friday over Rajya Sabha's failure to pass Lokpal Billyesterday, with both sides accusing each of carrying out "well choreographed" chaos to scuttle it.Under attack that it ran away from a vote because of lack of majority in the House, the government launched a media blitzkrieg in which BJP was the main target and painted as "villain" of the midnight drama.The government underlined that the bill was "alive" and would be taken up in the Budget Session and get it passed after working with parties.
In all the charges and counter charges, the government sought not to annoy its ally Trinamool Congress, which had ganged up with the Opposition and declared that it would vote against the provisions relating to Lokayuktas.
Chidambaram went a step further to say that Trinamool's concerns could be addressed by refining the provisions. In its barrage, the BJP and the Left accused the government of "subterfuge and sabotage" through its allies and friendly parties, mainly the RJD.
Seeking to bring Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in their line of fire for "keeping silent" during the episode, Leaders of Opposition in both the Houses Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj said the government has lost the right to continue in office after the defeat in both the Houses and face fresh elections.
The government fielded four of its senior ministers, P Chidambaram, Pawan Kumar Bansal, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ambika Soni, to launch a scathing attack on BJP. "The BJP had no intention to pass the Bill. So they hit upon an ingenous devise to move 187 amendments, many of them contradictory and many of them cannot be reconciled in a few minutes," Chidambaram told a joint press conference.
"The cat was out of the bag when the Leader of Opposition said at the start of the debate yesterday that we are confident that three crucial amendments will be passed. How did he know? So they must have got into an understanding with some other parties," Chidambaram said.
Claiming that the government had done everything possible, he wondered how a minister could accept amendments against his wish and "down the throat of the government. How can he say 'the bill as amended (by opposition) be passed'?"
Replying to questions on the impact of the development on the poll prospects of Congress, Soni said the party would use the issue during the campaign in the upcoming Assembly elections in five states.
In the Lok Sabha, Chidambaram said, the government "bent over backwards" to accommodate critical amendments of even the Opposition but was surprised when the same parties behaved differently in the Rajya Sabha, bringing 187 amendments.
Earlier, Bansal held a separate press conference which was focussed on attacking BJP while other ministers, Salman Khurshid and V Narayanasamy, echoed similar views. The Congress party also fielded its spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who said the "assassins (BJP) were accusing the victims."
In all the charges and counter charges, the government sought not to annoy its ally Trinamool Congress, which had ganged up with the Opposition and declared that it would vote against the provisions relating to Lokayuktas.
Chidambaram went a step further to say that Trinamool's concerns could be addressed by refining the provisions. In its barrage, the BJP and the Left accused the government of "subterfuge and sabotage" through its allies and friendly parties, mainly the RJD.
Seeking to bring Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in their line of fire for "keeping silent" during the episode, Leaders of Opposition in both the Houses Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj said the government has lost the right to continue in office after the defeat in both the Houses and face fresh elections.
The government fielded four of its senior ministers, P Chidambaram, Pawan Kumar Bansal, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ambika Soni, to launch a scathing attack on BJP. "The BJP had no intention to pass the Bill. So they hit upon an ingenous devise to move 187 amendments, many of them contradictory and many of them cannot be reconciled in a few minutes," Chidambaram told a joint press conference.
"The cat was out of the bag when the Leader of Opposition said at the start of the debate yesterday that we are confident that three crucial amendments will be passed. How did he know? So they must have got into an understanding with some other parties," Chidambaram said.
Claiming that the government had done everything possible, he wondered how a minister could accept amendments against his wish and "down the throat of the government. How can he say 'the bill as amended (by opposition) be passed'?"
Replying to questions on the impact of the development on the poll prospects of Congress, Soni said the party would use the issue during the campaign in the upcoming Assembly elections in five states.
In the Lok Sabha, Chidambaram said, the government "bent over backwards" to accommodate critical amendments of even the Opposition but was surprised when the same parties behaved differently in the Rajya Sabha, bringing 187 amendments.
Earlier, Bansal held a separate press conference which was focussed on attacking BJP while other ministers, Salman Khurshid and V Narayanasamy, echoed similar views. The Congress party also fielded its spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who said the "assassins (BJP) were accusing the victims."
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30 Dec, 2011 08:41 PM
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Rajya Sabha: Pranab Mukherjee in talks with Trinamool to secure votes on Lokpal, says Narayanasamy
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NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was in talks with Congress ally Trinamool Congress, his colleague V. Narayanasamy said Thursday as the ruling party tried hard to muster votes to secure the passage of the Lokpal billin the Rajya Sabha."Pranab dada has talked to them (Trinamool) and is still in talks with them and I think they will come around," Minister of State for Personnel Narayanasamy told Times Now ahead of the debate on the Lokpal bill in the upper house of parliament."Our finance minister has explained in detail that the Lokpal and the Lokayukta bill clearly states that if the state government does not give the consent for extending the act to the state it will not be possible to implement it," he added.
The Trinamool Congress, which has six members in the Rajya Sabha, has sought deletion of a provision on setting up of state Lokayuktas, stating that it was as good as tampering with the federal structure and the party would seek scrapping of this clause.
Narayanasamy said the Congress does not have the adequate numbers and will have to depend on allies and supporting parties to pass the bill in the Rajya Sabha.
"We are trying our best to pass the bill. This bill is the commitment of the members of both the houses and all the members have got the responsibility to pass it," he said.
The Trinamool Congress, which has six members in the Rajya Sabha, has sought deletion of a provision on setting up of state Lokayuktas, stating that it was as good as tampering with the federal structure and the party would seek scrapping of this clause.
Narayanasamy said the Congress does not have the adequate numbers and will have to depend on allies and supporting parties to pass the bill in the Rajya Sabha.
"We are trying our best to pass the bill. This bill is the commitment of the members of both the houses and all the members have got the responsibility to pass it," he said.
27 Dec, 2011, 11.01PM IST, PTI
Yashwant Sinha calls PM speech 'farewell' speech, Pranab Mukherjee counters
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NEW DELHI: BJP leader Yaswhant Sinhatoday took a dig at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Lokpal Bill debate speech in Lok Sabha, calling it a "farewell speech".Sinha's observation during the debate on the Lokpal Bill in the Lower House was countered a few hours later by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjeewho sarcastically told opposition BJP not to be impatient for power.Sinha during the course of his speech referred to Prime Minister's intervention and said he had listed various achievements of his government as if it was his "farewell speech.".
Replying to the debate, Mukherjee, Leader of the House, strongly defended the Prime Minister and took a jibe at Sinha, a former Finance Minister.
"I am sorry I did not expect it from Mr Yashwant Sinha that he will say it is a farewell speech.
Why are you in a hurry to come the Treasury Benches Mr Sinha? Why don't you wait for another two-and-a-half years more or two years and four months to occupy these (ruling) benches, " Mukherjee said. The present term of the Lok Sabha ends in mid-2014.
The exchange of barbs spilled over even after the conclusion of Pranab's spirited reply.
Sinha got up and sought to justify why he had described the Prime Minister's speech as a farewell speech.
He claimed that the buzz in the Central Hall of Parliament was that the Prime Minister was on his way out and that Pranab will be stepping into his shoes.
Pranab did not allow the matter to rest there and asked Sinha "Of all persons me".
Replying to the debate, Mukherjee, Leader of the House, strongly defended the Prime Minister and took a jibe at Sinha, a former Finance Minister.
"I am sorry I did not expect it from Mr Yashwant Sinha that he will say it is a farewell speech.
Why are you in a hurry to come the Treasury Benches Mr Sinha? Why don't you wait for another two-and-a-half years more or two years and four months to occupy these (ruling) benches, " Mukherjee said. The present term of the Lok Sabha ends in mid-2014.
The exchange of barbs spilled over even after the conclusion of Pranab's spirited reply.
Sinha got up and sought to justify why he had described the Prime Minister's speech as a farewell speech.
He claimed that the buzz in the Central Hall of Parliament was that the Prime Minister was on his way out and that Pranab will be stepping into his shoes.
Pranab did not allow the matter to rest there and asked Sinha "Of all persons me".
28 Dec, 2011, 12.32AM IST, PTI
BJP demands resignation of the UPA government
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NEW DELHI: With the Constitution Amendment Bill on Lokpal failing in Lok Sabha, BJPtonight demanded resignation of the UPA government on moral grounds."Government should resign on moral grounds. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has no moral right to continue in office," BJP leader Yashwant Sinhatold reporters after the embarassing development for the government.He noted that the government could not muster even simple majority of 273 votes in favour as it managed only 250 votes on the crucial legislation.
"Rahul Gandhi's dream has been shattered. This shows the monumental inefficiency of this government.
"I had said during my speech that Prime Minister spoke as if he was making his farewell speech. If any morality left is left in them, they should quit," Sinha said.
On the attack by Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee for the defeat of the bill, he said he was indulging in politics.
Sinha said it was the government's responsibility to ensure the requisite numbers in the House and not that of the Opposition.
CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said the government should "look into the mirror" as it could not mobilise the required strength for the Constitution Amendment Bill.
He said the Lokpal was no more a Lokpal "but only its caricature".
"Rahul Gandhi's dream has been shattered. This shows the monumental inefficiency of this government.
"I had said during my speech that Prime Minister spoke as if he was making his farewell speech. If any morality left is left in them, they should quit," Sinha said.
On the attack by Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee for the defeat of the bill, he said he was indulging in politics.
Sinha said it was the government's responsibility to ensure the requisite numbers in the House and not that of the Opposition.
CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said the government should "look into the mirror" as it could not mobilise the required strength for the Constitution Amendment Bill.
He said the Lokpal was no more a Lokpal "but only its caricature".
28 Dec, 2011, 02.24AM IST, PTI
'Dubious' role of Opposition parties exposed: DMK
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NEW DELHI: DMK tonight attacked the Opposition parties for defeating the Constitution Amendment Bill on Lokpal saying it exposed their "dubious" role.DMK Parliamentary Party leader T R Baalu said that parties like BJP, AIADMK and Left parties wanted a strong Lokpal bill but they have been exposed when they ganged up to defeat the Constitution Amendment Bill.
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