FDI: BJP accuses UPA of contempt of Parliament

The BJP on Saturday charged the Government with showing contempt of Parliament by not discussing a crucial issue like allowing 51% FDI in retail on the floor of the House and held the Manmohan Singh regime responsible for its repeated adjournments.

 Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said on Twitter, "On Friday the House was stalled on the issue of 51% FDI in retail. Parliament is in session and the Government announced a decision of such far reaching consequences outside the Parliament."

 The Government had taken a cabinet decision to allow 51% FDI in multi-brand retail and increased the FDI in single-brand to 100%. The BJP and the Left parties, among others, have criticised this move.

"It is a contempt of the House. They should have discussed this issue in the Parliament and taken a decision in accordance with the sense of the House. They bypass the Parliament. We cannot accept this," Swaraj said.

 The Opposition parties are likely to rake up this issue again on Monday. The BJP and the Left parties are mulling over moving an adjournment motion to demand a discussion on allowing FDI in retail.

 Swaraj also accused the Government of stalling Parliament due to its attitude towards the Opposition.

"I wish to ask Pranab Da (Finance Minister): Who stalled the Parliament on Thursday afternoon? Does he remember that there was a consensus in his presence that the price rise be discussed at 2 pm on Thursday and adjournment motion on blackmoney was to be taken up on Monday?" Swaraj said.

 Swaraj maintained that all opposition leaders were present in the House for discussion on price rise at 2 pm on Thursday but none of the cabinet ministers.

 "I am sorry to say that Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee was not present in the House. Congress members started shouting slogans and disrupted the House. I tried to persuade them to let the House function but they did not listen. Nobody from the Congress tried to control them and House had to be adjourned," Swaraj said.

She alleged that it is the Congress members who disrupt the House while Mukherjee is appealing to the opposition to let the House run.