Left slams NDA for holding up debates

The Left today came out strongly against the NDA’s boycott of Parliament proceedings, stating that several important debates have suffe...

The Left today came out strongly against the NDA’s boycott of Parliament proceedings, stating that several important debates have suffered because of this ‘‘unwarranted interruption’’.

The Left parties released a joint statement, along with the RJD and the Samajwadi Party. ‘‘We express deep concern over the happenings within Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for the past few days when no parliamentary functioning could be possible because of unnecessary and unwarranted interruptions by the main NDA Opposition,’’ the statement said.

CPI(M) Lok Sabha leader Basudeb Acharya and the party’s Rajya Sabha leader, Nilotpal Basu, lashed out at the BJP saying, ‘‘Since they were rejected by the electorate in 2004, the frustrated BJP and its allies have been trying to find one alibi or other other to stall the proceedings of the House in the most irresponsible manner.’’

Acharya even felt that former PM Vajpyee should not have demanded Railway Minister Laloo Yadav’s resignation on the basis of the Samalaya train accident. ‘‘Even top leaders of the BJP had unfortunately been holding the House to ransom and turning a deaf ear to the appeals of the Speaker and Chairman, Rajya Sabha.’’