PM Modi, Amit Shah to Observe Day-Long Fast on April 12 to Protest Parliament Disruption
The BJP-NDA MPs had earlier announced the forfeiture of 23-day salary to express regret over the Parliament disruptions.
New Delhi, April 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah, would be observing a day-long fast on April 12 to protest against the constant disruption of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha during the recently concluded Budget Session of the Parliament.
While PM Modi will be fasting in the national capital, Shah would be sitting on fast in Karnataka's Hubli. Lawmakers of the BJP are also expected to remain on fast on Thursday in their respective parliamentary constituencies.
The announcement comes a day after senior Congress leaders in Delhi observed a six-hour fast to protest against the "threat to communal harmony" across the nation.
In the second half of the Budget Session, which began from March 6, all 23 scheduled working days were washed off as no legislative business could be undertaken.
The disruptions were caused primarily over the Opposition's demand to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh, followed by the AIADMK MPs' launching a vociferous protest in both the Houses over the non-constitution of the Cauvery Management Board.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar, after conclusion of the session, marked dissent against the negligible amount of legislative work transacted in the Parliament. Expressing regret, Kumar announced all BJP-NDA MPs will forfeit the salary of 23 working days.
The Opposition, however, pinned the blame on the government for the Parliament's disruption. "It is their job to reach out to the Opposition and ensure the House functions. But they wanted to runaway from the issues raised by us and hence the Parliament was adjourned in quick succession each day," said CPI MP D Raja.
Congress MP and former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh wrote to Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu last week, seeking the reconvention of a special session of Parliament to debate all pending issues, apart from discussing the Bills which were scheduled to be taken up in the Budget Session.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 10, 2018 05:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).