Antulay issue rocks Parl; proceedings stalled

Proceedings in both Houses of Parliament were stalled as main Opposition BJP mounted pressure on govt to sack A R Antulay.

Proceedings in both Houses of Parliament were stalled on Monday as main Opposition BJP mounted pressure on the government to sack Minority Affairs Minister A R Antulay while the Left parties opposed bills for reforms in the insurance sector, including hiking of FDI.

By forcing repeated adjournments in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, BJP pressed for immediate removal of Antulay for raising doubts over the circumstances that led to the killing of former Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare by Pakistani terrorists in Mumbai attacks.

In the Rajya Sabha, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the government will make a statement on the issue on Tuesday before Parliament adjourns.

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Describing Antulay’s statement as “anti-national” and “ridiculous”, M Venkaiah Naidu (BJP) said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should have “fired” him.

Both the Houses saw three adjournments during the day before the presiding officers called it a day sensing the mood of the opposition as slogan-shouting BJP and Shiv Sena members stormed the well in both Houses.

Antulay, who was present in the Lok Sabha, was seen smiling at the opposition members, gesturing them to continue with their protest. At one point, he even displayed the ‘thumbs up’ sign.

This is for the third consecutive day that the issue rocked Parliament.

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The Left on its part lodged strong protest against the government for bringing bills that seek to hike foreign direct investment from 26 per cent to 49 per cent in the insurance sector and raise the capital of state-owned LIC.