Black money: Trinamool uses black umbrellas to protest against NDA
New Delhi, Nov 25 (IANS) Black umbrellas were used by Trinamool Congress members in the Lok Sabha Tuesday to protest against the government over black money as the issue of unaccounted money of Indians in foreign banks surfaced inside and outside parliament. The government said it was willing to discuss the issue.
Trinamool Congress members vociferously raised the issue both inside and outside the parliament on the first day of its winter session and created a surprise by bringing black umbrellas inside the Lok Sabha. The umbrellas had been painted with the words "Kaala Dhan Waapas Lao" (Bring back black money).
Trinamool Congress members started their protest soon after the Lok Sabha met for the day, and advanced to the speaker's podium with the umbrellas raising slogans.
They were joined by members from the Janata Dal-United, the Congress, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and the Samajwadi Party. The opposition members demanded a response from Prime Minister Narendra Modi as to when the black money would be brought back.
Trinamool Congress' Sudip Bandopadhyay said he had given notice for suspension of the question hour which was not allowed by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.
Mahajan also asked Trinamool Congress members to put away the umbrellas as these were not allowed inside the house.
"This is not the correct way to protest," she said and adjourned the house till noon.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said the government was ready for any kind of discussion on the issue of black money.
"They (opposition) just want to obstruct the functioning of the house. Please let the house run. The children of the country are watching you," he said.
Naidu also said that the prime minister was on a visit to a foreign country and it was not proper or dignified to raise slogans against him.
Trinamool Congress has stepped up attack on Modi and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government following arrest of party MP Srinjoy Bose by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the probe into the Saradha scam.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said Monday that the BJP does not deserve political courtesies and labelled Modi as a "selfie danga guru (riot master)".
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Pratap Rudy told reporters after a meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Party that his party was committed to bring back black money.
"We are fully prepared to present the facts on the efforts to bring back black money," he said.
The opposition protests continued after the Lok Sabha reassembled but matters of urgent public importance were taken up. The government introduced a bill to amend the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 amid the din.
Congress leader of the house Mallikarjun Kharge said his party was ready to support the passage of the bill, but not amid din. Naidu, however, did not agree with the suggestion and members of Congress, Trinamool Congress and other parties who were protesting on the black money issue staged a walk out.
The TMC members also sought to raise the issue of black money in the Rajya Sabha. They also carried their protest outside the parliament with umbrellas and were joined by the members of SP, the JD-U and the RJD leaders.
"Modi government promised to bring back black money in 100 days. Almost 200 days are over; they must give an answer now," said TMC's Sukhendu Sekhar.
"Black money was one of the key poll planks in the Lok Sabha elections on which the BJP won, but the government has done nothing on this count since it came to power. We want a threadbare discussion on this," said JD-U leader K.C. Tyagi.
Environment and Forests Minister Prakash Javadekar accused the opposition of being jittery.
He alleged that the the UPA government did not constitute SIT, as asked by the Supreme Court while BJP-led government did it within days of assuming office.