Opposition demands discussion on Indo-US trade deal, stages walkout
JP Nadda says govt ready with details, promises suo motu statement
TMC skips joint walkout, cites separate issue on SIR-affected families
Members of several opposition parties on Tuesday staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha while raising the issue of the Indo-US trade deal and demanding a discussion on it.
Soon after zero hour finished, Congressman Jairam Ramesh brought up the subject of the Indo-US trade deal, claiming that Washington was the source of the information.
Leader of the House J P Nadda stated that the US President spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and posted on social media about the drop in taxes on Indian goods as opposition members began to demonstrate in the house.
Nadda alleged that the Opposition's frustration was coming out, and it had started seeing the bad in good things.
"I want to assure the house that the government is ready to discuss the Indo-US trade deal and provide all minute details of the deal. The government will come out with a suo motu statement on the trade deal.
"But this methodology is fatal for democracy and is the irresponsible behaviour of the Indian National Congress and the INDIA alliance," Nadda said.
The opposition members persisted in chanting that the nation's interests were being traded, but Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan urged them to pay attention when the government spoke.
He said the government is ready to discuss, but the opposition members are creating an uproar.
Members of the opposition sprang up and marched into the front row while yelling anti-government slogans.
According to Nadda, the administration is prepared to release a suo motu statement today.
"It is your frustration which is speaking. We are ready," he said.
"Their interest is only in creating politics out of everything, and we saw an example of that just now...They are trying to create an atmosphere in the country as if the government is avoiding a discussion.
"You are an issueless party now. You have got no issues. This is very irresponsible behaviour, and in a way, this is anti-national behaviour. It is anti-national," he said, adding that their frustration is being seen at every turn.
All opposition members, except the TMC, later staged a walkout in protest.
TMC member Saket Gokhale was sitting in the house and left shortly after the walkout.
TMC said it staged a separate walkout on the treatment of SIR-affected families by the Delhi police.
