Modi accused entire Oppn of hiding black money, must apologise: RS MPs

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha witnessed chaotic scenes on Friday as members of the Opposition started chanting slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for saying that critics of note ban were not in support of wiping out black money.

"Pradhan Mantri maafi maango (PM must apologise)," shouted members in the House. Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad demanded that Modi apologise for saying that Opposition parties are in support of black money during a book launch event on Friday morning.

“Those criticising the demonetisation move don't have problem with government's preparedness; they have problem that they didn't get time to prepare,” Modi had said earlier on Friday. The Opposition claimed that his comments were an attack on their integrity.

Following are updates from Parliament:

• "There is no question of PM apologising," said BJP MPs as Opposition leaders created a ruckus in Rajya Sabha, forcing the speaker to adjourn the House till 2.30 pm.
• "The PM said 'some people' are upset as they didn't have time to hide their black money, why is Opposition taking offence," said BJP MP Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.
• Opposition leaders gathered near the Well in Rajya Sabha and chanted against Prime Minister Modi and chanted 'apologise'.
• Rajya Sabha resumed at 12 pm and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad again raked Modi’s remarks at a book launch. “Can the Prime Minister say anything? Can he say anything against Opposition and we cannot raise the matter in Parliament?,” Azad asked.
• Both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha were adjourned till 12 pm after uproar over the demonetisation issue.
• MPs from JDU and SP attacked Prime Minister and said he had accused the entire Opposition of hiding black money. "This is a grave allegation," said former JDU chief Sharad Yadav is Rajya Sabha.
• “Prime Minister said that if he had told the Opposition beforehand about the move to demonetise notes, we would have supported the move, indirectly he meant that we support black money, this is an attack on Opposition,” Mayawati said in Rajya Sabha
• "How can PM allege that Opposition parties are in favour of black money; this is wrong, he must apologise," Ghulam Nabi Azad said in Rajya Sabha.
• Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said they would not discuss the note ban issue unless Modi attends the session.

Opposition parties earlier met on Friday morning to chalk out their strategy for the ongoing Winter Session, as Parliament remains virtually paralysed due to repeated disruptions and adjournments over their demand that Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend the proceedings.

The Opposition had decided that it will continue to demand Modi's presence and participation in Parliament during the demonetisation debate.

Modi had attended that Rajya Sabha on Thursday but did not re-appear after the House took a lunch break, leading to protests by the Opposition over his absence. Congress and other parties stalled the Parliament over the issue and demanded that Modi sit through the entire debate.

Union Minister Ananth Kumar said his government was ready for debate but the “opposition is running away from it.”

On Thursday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had accused the Opposition of inventing reasons to run away from a debate on demonetisation and took a swipe at former PM Manmohan Singh over his criticism, saying it is no surprise that he is unhappy as "maximum blackmoney was generated" under his rule.

Rejecting Singh's contention that GDP growth will plunge by 2 per cent, he said demonetisation will have positive impact on the economy over medium to long term as the money from shadow economy will find its way into the mainstream.

"Those who did not consider the generation of so much black money and scams during their regime as blunder are now finding the crusade against black money as blunder," Jaitley said.

His response came after Singh had castigated the government and the Prime Minister over demonetisation during Thursday’s Rajya Sabha debate, saying its implementation was a "monumental management failure" and a case of "organised loot and legalised plunder."

As the Rajya Sabha was repeatedly adjourned with Opposition insisting that the Prime Minister be present during the entire debate, Jaitley lashed out at the opposition saying it was not keen on debate but on disruption.