Govt ready for debate on demonetisation, PM Modi to attend Parliament for next three days

Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu said on Tuesday Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be present in Parliament for the remaining three days of the winter session and accused the Opposition of "changing goalpost" to disrupt functioning of both the Houses.

"The Prime Minister, except when he was out, is in Parliament every day. He is the first man to come to the Parliament and the last man to go. He is sitting in his room and watching all that is happening. As and when there is a request, he comes to the House," Naidu said.

When asked specifically if the Prime Minister will be present in Parliament for the next three days, he said," He will be." Naidu's remarks come in the background of Opposition's demand for Modi's presence in the House during the debate on demonetisation and discussion under a rule which entails voting.

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Opposition parties will also hold a meeting on Wednesday to decide their strategy in Parliament as the government has expressed readiness for a debate on demonetisation and the Congress and the BJP have issued whip to their MPs to be present in both Houses.

Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia sought to put the ball in the government's court saying that the opposition was ready for discussion last week itself when members of the ruling party disrupted proceedings. He said opposition parties would be meeting to chalk out its future strategy.

"We were ready for discussion last week, but treasury benches disrupted the House and forced its adjournment. The opposition parties will meet tomorrow morning to decide future strategy," Scindia said.

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Sources said government has not approached the Opposition so far during the four-day long weekend break, but has expressed readiness on the debate on demonetisation.

Finance minister Arun Jaitley said government is ready for a debate on the demonetisation issue in Parliament and urged the Congress and other opposition parties to "rise above slogans and look at the positive advantages ..." . "Therefore, from national perspective, I would appeal to the opposition to join this campaign rather than create obstruction and fail to understand what the real purpose and the import of this campaign really is," he said.

The winter session of the Parliament has witnessed almost complete washout since it began on November 16. It will resume on Wednesday and conclude on December 16.

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