Lok Sabha discusses President's address

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday witnessed acrimonious scenes as members of the Trinamool Congress and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) traded barbs at each other during discussion on Motion of Thanks on President's address.

When the House reassembled in the post-lunch session, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan took up the discussion on the motion. As BJP veteran Hukumdev Narayan Yadav began, Trinamool Congress members trooped near Speaker's podium and started sloganerring against the government over the Sunday standoff between the Central Bureau of Investigation and Kolkata police.

As soon as he started speaking, Trinamool's member Aparupa Poddar took his mike and started shouting slogans. This was opposed by BJP members.

During his speech, Yadav took potshots at opposition alliance, saying the corrupt and anti-social parties have joined hands to defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is working hard for uplifting the poor.

This led to an aggressive argument between Samajwadi Party's Dharmendra Yadav and the BJP members. Due to the heated argument, the Speaker adjourned the House for 10 minutes.

When the House reassembled, BJP's Yadav, resuming his speech, said that the Modi government has implemented various welfare schemes for the upliftment of poor people in the country.

Under the Jan-Dhan Yojana, so far 34 crore accounts have been opened in which the people have deposited Rs 84,000 crore, he said.

"In the budget, the government has announced to provide Rs 6,000 annually to small farmers under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi. Under Ayushman Bharat scheme, so far 10 lakh people have availed benefits," he said.

The veteran leader described the next Lok Sabha elections as a "Mahabharat" and said it will be a fight between the right and wrong.

Seconding the motion, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal said that the NDA government has taken several measures for the welfare of farmers and the poor.

He also hailed recent income support scheme for small and marginal farmers.

As the Speaker called Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge to speak, he said as there was no order in the House, the discussion should be postponed to Wednesday.

Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay also demanded that the discussion be postponed to Wednesday and assured that his party will cooperate.

To this, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that those who want to speak on Wednesday should be given time, but those who want to participate in the discussion on Tuesday should be allowed to speak.

This was followed by slogan shouting by opposition members prompting the Speaker to adjourn the House for half an hour till 4 p.m.

When debate resumed, Biju Janata Dal's Bhartruhari Mahtab demanded fixing of MSP of farmers' produce.

Welcoming the budget announcement of providing Rs 6000 annually to small farmers, he, however, said that such a step is not a permanent solution for farm distress.

AIADMK's P. Venugopal demanded the government to release the arrears of GST compensation to Tamil Nadu while SP's Dharmendra Yadav demanded reintroduction of 200-point roster in recruitment of teachers in Universities. - IANS