Opposition parties on Wednesday disrupted the proceedings in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly demanding that the state pass a resolution requesting the Centre to amend the Constitution to make Hyderabad part of a specific area following a Supreme Court order declaring it a “free zone“.
The opposition TDP, CPI, CPM and BJP pressed for a discussion on the issue through an adjournment motion but Speaker N Kiran Kumar Reddy rejected the plea.
After a 15-minute adjournment of the House on the issue, Chief Minister K Rosaiah asserted that Hyderabad would form part of Zone-6 but said any discussion on it in the Assembly would not be proper as the case was still in court.
He also called a meeting of floor leaders of all parties in the evening to discuss the issue and the next course of action in the light of the apex court’s verdict.
When TDP deputy leader Nagam Janardhana Reddy insisted on a debate in the House and also objected to the Chief Minister’s claim that the matter was ‘sub judice’, the latter reacted angrily saying he would step down from his post if he had used the word sub judice.
CPI, CPM and BJP leaders also favoured a resolution seeking Constitutional amendment on the issue.
“If mere passing of a resolution will help solve the problem, we have no objection to it.But that’s not enough and we have to put in extra efforts. We all shall sit and discuss the course of action to be adopted,” the Chief Minister said.
This pacified the members and the House then took up the Question Hour.
Showing posts with label Opposition parties. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Opposition parties. Show all posts
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Opposition steps up offensive on price hike
Sensing an opportunity to expose the lack of unity in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) on the issue of hike in the taxes on petroleum products, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Opposition is drawing up plans to embarrass the government.
The BJP also plans to take Opposition unity on this issue to a new plane even as the Left parties decided to step up pressure on the government leading to its March 12 rally in the capital against rise in the prices of essential commodities.
BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the “arrogance of power” displayed in his assertion that there would be no rollback of the increased taxes on petroleum products announced in the budget.
On Wednesday the party would plan its floor strategy on this issue and other subjects at a meeting of National Democratic Alliance leaders.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat said the party did not accept the argument offered by the government to justify the hike in petroleum products.
In the context of the rise in prices of food items, he said, the effect of the hike on petrol and diesel prices would be felt and cannot be minimised. “People will be put to great suffering if there is further rise in prices, of food items in particular,” he told The Hindu.
As for the Opposition strategy in Parliament, he said while the CPI(M) was trying to bring non-Congress secular parties together, on the issue of price rise, the entire Opposition was agitated and last week’s development in Parliament was an expression of that.
After Tuesday’s strike in Kerala against the hike in fuel prices, the Left Front will hold week-long demonstrations across West Bengal. Between March 3 and 9, the Left parties will conduct processions in various places.
Separately, trade unions across the political spectrum have decided to go on a mass agitation in different parts of the country in the form of road and rail blockades, and satyagraha to protest the rise in prices of essential commodities and now the hike in petroleum products.
All India Trade Union Congress general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta, MP, told The Hindu, that for the first time all trade unions including those affiliated to the Congress and the BJP would agitate on March 5. Lakhs of workers will offer arrest in metropolitan and industrial centres in the country.
Cut motion
The BJP said the party wants to use a cut motion during the vote on the Finance Bill in the second part of the budget session less as a tool to defeat the government and more to show up the fissures in the UPA as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Trinamool Congress have both demanded a rollback of the tax hike.
The party is hoping that Opposition unity would take place automatically and on the spur of the moment as it materialised when one party after another walked out during the budget presentation on February 26 in the Lok Sabha.
The BJP also plans to take Opposition unity on this issue to a new plane even as the Left parties decided to step up pressure on the government leading to its March 12 rally in the capital against rise in the prices of essential commodities.
BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the “arrogance of power” displayed in his assertion that there would be no rollback of the increased taxes on petroleum products announced in the budget.
On Wednesday the party would plan its floor strategy on this issue and other subjects at a meeting of National Democratic Alliance leaders.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat said the party did not accept the argument offered by the government to justify the hike in petroleum products.
In the context of the rise in prices of food items, he said, the effect of the hike on petrol and diesel prices would be felt and cannot be minimised. “People will be put to great suffering if there is further rise in prices, of food items in particular,” he told The Hindu.
As for the Opposition strategy in Parliament, he said while the CPI(M) was trying to bring non-Congress secular parties together, on the issue of price rise, the entire Opposition was agitated and last week’s development in Parliament was an expression of that.
After Tuesday’s strike in Kerala against the hike in fuel prices, the Left Front will hold week-long demonstrations across West Bengal. Between March 3 and 9, the Left parties will conduct processions in various places.
Separately, trade unions across the political spectrum have decided to go on a mass agitation in different parts of the country in the form of road and rail blockades, and satyagraha to protest the rise in prices of essential commodities and now the hike in petroleum products.
All India Trade Union Congress general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta, MP, told The Hindu, that for the first time all trade unions including those affiliated to the Congress and the BJP would agitate on March 5. Lakhs of workers will offer arrest in metropolitan and industrial centres in the country.
Cut motion
The BJP said the party wants to use a cut motion during the vote on the Finance Bill in the second part of the budget session less as a tool to defeat the government and more to show up the fissures in the UPA as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Trinamool Congress have both demanded a rollback of the tax hike.
The party is hoping that Opposition unity would take place automatically and on the spur of the moment as it materialised when one party after another walked out during the budget presentation on February 26 in the Lok Sabha.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Opposition walkout over hike in petroleum product duties
The proposed changes in duties related to petroleum products in the Budget stirred a hornet’s nest on Friday with the entire Opposition staging a walkout from the Lok Sabha and warning that they will not allow Parliament to run till a rollback is announced.
“This is a move that would lead to rise in prices of diesel and petrol and hit the common man already burdened by price rise,” Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj said immediately after the walkout.
The issue united the entire Opposition with Left leaders like Gurudas Dasgupta, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and RJD president Lalu Prasad addressing an impromptu joint press conference outside the Parliament House.
“The entire Opposition is together,” Mr. Prasad thundered attacking the government and accusing it of acting in a “dictatorial manner” against the interests of the common people. He said Parliament would not be allowed to function till a rollback is effected.
Raising anti-government slogans, they chanted “Jo Sarkar Nikammi Hai, Woh Sarkar Badalni Hai” (we have to change the inefficient government).
“We have boycotted the budget. Soon after a discussion on price rise, the government has increased the prices of petroleum products. This is anti-people,” Ms. Swaraj said.
She said any increase in prices of petroleum product will be an “indirect tax” and have a cascading effect on the prices of all commodities.
“This is a move that would lead to rise in prices of diesel and petrol and hit the common man already burdened by price rise,” Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj said immediately after the walkout.
The issue united the entire Opposition with Left leaders like Gurudas Dasgupta, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and RJD president Lalu Prasad addressing an impromptu joint press conference outside the Parliament House.
“The entire Opposition is together,” Mr. Prasad thundered attacking the government and accusing it of acting in a “dictatorial manner” against the interests of the common people. He said Parliament would not be allowed to function till a rollback is effected.
Raising anti-government slogans, they chanted “Jo Sarkar Nikammi Hai, Woh Sarkar Badalni Hai” (we have to change the inefficient government).
“We have boycotted the budget. Soon after a discussion on price rise, the government has increased the prices of petroleum products. This is anti-people,” Ms. Swaraj said.
She said any increase in prices of petroleum product will be an “indirect tax” and have a cascading effect on the prices of all commodities.
