Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today dared the Opposition to begin the debate over demonetisation, an issue that has rocked Parliament since the Winter Session began on November 16.
The comments came as the proceedings of the House were disrupted yet again as an unrelenting Opposition insisted on the Prime Minister’s apology for the reported deaths that the opposition parties have blamed on demonetisation.
"The Opposition disrupts proceedings for one reason or the other. I challenge them to begin the debate if they have courage," Jaitley said in the Rajya Sabha.
Accusing the opposition of raising the issue for publicity, he said, “They raise the issue everyday for two minutes during Zero Hour for television coverage. They don't bother whether discussion continues or not."
Jaitley was speaking during Zero Hour after the opposition parties created a ruckus over the demonetisation issue.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon and later till 2 pm over the issue of demonetisation amid chaos minutes soon after it met for the day.
As the House reassembled, Opposition leader Gulam Nabi Azad said over 80 people have died ever since the scheme of demonetisation was introduced on November 8.
"I want to ask, who is responsible for these deaths," Azad said, adding that accountability should be fixed for the 84 deaths.
Azad said the scheme was brought in without any preparation.
Naresh Agarwal of the Samajwadi Party also criticised the government for ‘paralysing the country’.
Expressing similar views, BSP chief Mayawati said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had for asked 50 days to fix the problems arising due to demonetisation, but nothing seems to be changing.
Reacting to the opposition’s remarks, the government MPs started shouting slogans saying ‘'Himmat hai toh charcha karo' (if they (opposition) have guts let the debate take place)’.
