New Delhi, Nov 22 (IBNS): The Winter Session of the Parliament commenced on a stormy note on Thursday and witnessed continuous disruptions resulting in adjournment of both Houses for the day amid ruckus over Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail and other issues.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day after it reconvened at 2 pm.
The Rajya Sabha was dismissed for the day much before the Lower House.
Both Houses of the Parliament were adjourned several times on the very first day of the Winter Session.
Initially, they were adjourned for one hour after an uproar over issues including the FDI.
The Houses were adjourned till noon and only obituary references could be read out.
Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Thursday rejected the no-confidence motion moved by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC) against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government on the decision to allow Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail.
The TMC moved the motion against the government despite having only 19 MPs. It was rejected as the TMC could not gain the support of 50 MPs.
Mamata said that after her split with the UPA, the government has become a minority and is in no position to move the FDI in multi-brand retail.
The TMC chief has been reaching out to several parties, including arch-rivals Left, for supporting her no-confidence motion.
However, no party was explicit in its support for Mamata and did not promise to back the TMC on the issue.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, however, demanded for voting on FDI issue under Rule 184 of the Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha. Rule 184 ensures a vote after debate.
"We should be given an opportunity to express our views under rule 184. Under rule 184 there should be a discussion on FDI in the parliament," Swaraj said.
Pertinently, the government is opposed to it.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said he was ready to discuss all issues and sough cooperation of the Opposition in tiding over economic hardship arising out of global situation.
Requesting cooperation from colleagues from both houses the PM before entering the Parliament said: "We are ready to discuss all issues on the floor of both houses."
He reminded the MPs of the economic situation and the fallout of global financial turmoil.
"We need to create new jobs, provide healthy environment for investment. Our country faces many economic problems arising from global economic problems," he said.
