Under opposition fire for two days, Government today launched a counter-offensive on seeking to put BJP and the Left in the dock in Parliament over their suggestions in 2005 against auction of coal blocks.
BJP members, who have been demanding resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over CAG’s findings on extending undue benefits to the tune of Rs 1.86 lakh crore on coal block allocations, rushed to the Well in both Houses renewing their demand.
Countering the opposition offensive, Congress members in the Lok Sabha were seen in the aisles waving copies of newspapers and raising slogans against the BJP. They displayed newspaper reports which said the BJP, in 2005, had told the Centre that auction of coal blocks will hit the industry.
The House plunged into turmoil as members of Opposition and Treasury benches clashed, with Congress members insisting that it was the BJP which had opposed auction of coal blocks and was blaming the Centre for it.
Interestingly, members of JD(U), a key constituent of the BJP-led NDA, did not join the BJP members in the Well. While the BJP has been on the offensive in demanding Manmohan Singh’s resignation, the JD(U) has been pressing for a debate.
Speaker Meira Kumar had called for the Question Hour, but had to adjourn the House till noon amid the din.
The Rajya Sabha witnessed ruckus the moment Chairman Hamid Ansari took up the first listed business.