Parl's winter session lost to 2G

Opposition stalled proceedings of both Houses every day this session over 2G

PTI | December 13, 2010



The winter session of Parliament today ended without transacting any substantial business, going down in Parliamentary history as the only session virtually washed out due to standoff between the government and Opposition over 2G spectrum scam.

Parliament could function barely for a few hours during the 23 sittings which began on November 9, as the united Opposition forced adjournments almost everyday, within minutes of assembling.

Opposition members trooping into the well and shouting slogans demanding JPC probe into the 2G spectrum allocation became a daily routine in both Houses.

Normalcy was seen in the Lok Sabha only on the first day of the session when the Rajya Sabha was adjourned because of death of a sitting member.

Despite a number of meetings between the government and Opposition, the impasse continued as the BJP-led NDA, the Left parties, AIADMK, SP, TDP and BJD persisted with their demand for a JPC into the 2G spectrum scam.

The Opposition got a shot in the arm after the CAG report, tabled in Parliament on November 16, said the spectrum allocation in 2008 had caused a presumptive loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer.

The Opposition was not satisfied even though Telecom Minister A Raja quit.

The government, on the other hand, continuously rejected the demand for JPC maintaining that the Public Accounts Committee was adequately equipped to probe the irregularities.

This session earned the dubious distinction of being virtually washed out, although Parliament had witnessed logjam for 17 days over Tehelka scam in 2001 and disruptions for 45 days over Bofors scandal in 1987.

Before adjourning the Upper House sine die, Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari conveyed his displeasure stating the 221st session displayed "distinct" features and asked members to introspect.

"No debates or discussions on matters of public interest took place; no special mentions were made or laid on the table; no zero hour interventions were sought; no questions were answered orally and no supplementary questions were raised," he said.

Ansari said all sections of the House would "perhaps introspect on the record of this session to seek the distinction between dissent, remonstration, agitation and disruption."

When asked for her reaction on the ongoing logjam, Speaker Meira Kumar said outside the House, "I am anguished" at the situation.

Amid the pandemonium, the government managed to get its financial bills involving supplementary demands for about Rs 46,000 crore passed.

Comments

 

Other News

The Constitution cannot be altered: Justice Abhay Oka

Justice Abhay Oka, who retired from the Supreme Court in May 2025, has said that the Constitution of India cannot be altered. Explaining the landmark Kesavananda Bharati judgment (1973) on the basic structure of the Constitution, he said, “This is one judgment that has saved democracy in India.&rdq

How the flora and fauna evolved in the Indian subcontinent

Mammals of India  By A.J.T. Johnsingh and P.O. Nameer HarperCollins India in association with Bombay Natural History Society  

India`s renewable race is moving beyond megawatts

When Shell bought Sprng Energy in 2022, India`s renewable energy market appeared to offer precisely what global energy majors were seeking: scale, growth and a place in one of the world`s largest energy transitions. Four years later, Shell is selling the same business to Aditya Birla Group for an enterpris

Nepal Floods: India keeps close watch on the situation

India`s central government has been keeping a close watch on the situation arising out of the flash flood in Nepal on Wednesday. Union home minister Amit Shah spoke with the chief ministers of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, the two states that share the border with Nepal, regarding the disaster

UPI completes 10 years of digital payments revolution

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI), launched on August 25, 2016 by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) under the regulatory oversight of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has completed 10 years of transforming digital payments in India. UPI has emerged as the backbone of India’s digi

Here’s an I.D.E.A. for career growth and success

Success in today’s professional organisation is no longer solely determined by academic qualifications, technical expertise or years of experience. While these attributes do matter, organisations increasingly value individuals who demonstrate the right mindset and behavioural qualities. The ability

Upcoming Conferences



-->

Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter