No end to Parliament impasse over CAG report on coal

NEW DELHI: With no end to the government-BJP stand-off over CAG report on coal block allocation, the last week of the Monsoon session of Parliament began today with a repeat of stormy scenes raising the possibility of a washout of the remaining four days.

The month-long session, which already lost the previous two weeks to BJP's unrelenting demand for resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, again saw uproar created by BJP members, leading to wastage of one more day of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

However, amid the din, three bills, including Protection of Women Against Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill, 2010, were passed in the Lok Sabha within minutes without any voice vote.

The other two legislations were the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Amendment Bill, 2011, and the National Highways Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2011.

In the Rajya Sabha, repeated attempts by the government to ensure passage of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (Amendment) Bill, 2012, were thwarted by Left parties which insisted that these should not be cleared without a debate.

As the two Houses met for the day, it was the repeat of scenes witnessed over the last eight days with BJP members raising slogans and rushing into the Well to demand the Prime Minister's resignation.

Slogans like "Koyle ki dalali hai, Congress sarkar kali hai (brokerage of coal has turned Congress government black)" and "Pradhan Mantri Isteefa Do (Prime Minister should quit)" rent the air leading to clashes as Congress members countered.

Some UPA members were also seen waving the 'List of Business' at the agitating BJP members indicating their opposition to the disruption of the proceedings.