Winter Session of Parliament, Day One | United oppn launches attack on Govt; asks PM Modi to participate in Rajya Sabha debate

With opposition seeking to rake up the issue of demonetisation in Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the government is ready to discuss all issues and hoped parties will contribute in completing the legislative agenda in the Winter session.

Addressing the media outside Parliament House on day one of the month-long Winter session, he hoped a "very good" discussion will take place on all issues which are based on the political ideologies of parties, the hopes and aspirations of the common man, and the thinking of the government.

"I feel a very good debate will take place in this session too. All parties will have the best of contribution. Best of efforts will be made to take all parties along in completing the government business," he said.

Later, Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day.

The debate on demonetisation began in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday with Opposition getting united to target the government on the issue of demonetisation.

Highlights of the House proceedings in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday–

# Rajya Sabha adjourned till tomorrow (Thursday), 11am.

5:25pm: Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu, BJP

# If your money is valid, it will not go in vain, says Venkaiah Naidu

#This is the great transformation being brought by PM of India. 

#The main issues on which we (BJP) fought elections was corruption. The issue of corruption was the main that we stressed upon.

5:20pm: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, BJP

#Comparing our PM with Hitler, Mussolini, Gaddafi is atrocious to say the least; it is totally wrong

#Those who are corrupt, black money hoarders are most affected as their money is now being treated as a piece of paper.

4:58pm: Pramod Tiwari, INC, Uttar Pradesh

#Just to benefit the big businessmen and tycoons, BJP has banned the Rs 500, Rs 1000 bank notes in the country

4: 30pm: Naresh Gujral, SAD, Punjab

#This black money has affected all of  the organs, be it elections media or anything else. 

#The money which is now being deposited in banks will be used to fund farmers, small businessmen, start-ups and all that sections which require bank finance

4:25 pm: Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley

#Loan to Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher a write-off 'only in books,' but the Govt still pursuing his case: Arun Jaitley in RS 

4: 15 pm: NCP's Praful Patel speaks

#Those small traders who come from other regions to urban areas are the ones who are most affected by demonetisation. They do not even have bank accounts. 

3:40pm: BSP supremo Mayawati

# The ban on currency has left the entire country financially crippled.

# The fact is that these 10 months were used to handle black money accumulated by BJP leaders & industrialists.

# PM said govt has been preparing for DeMonetisation since 10months, that is enough time,still situation is out of control.

# There is an economic emergency in the country.

# Poor people are suffering due to this decision

3pm: CPM leader Sitaram Yechury

# Initially ATM meant ‘All Time Money’, now it is 'Aayega Tab Milega'.

# If none of the objectives are to be fulfilled by this, what is the meaning of this move

# Now we have Modi Antoinette, "If you don't have paper, use plastic"; what is the coverage of your plastic money?: Sitaram Yechury in RS

# What is called #demonetisation is 86% of our cash transactions; country today is living on cash transactions of 14%: Sitaram Yechury in RS

2:40pm: Janta Dal (United) member Sharad Yadav

# Did PM ask you before takingh this decision? Sharad Yadav asks Jaitley

# Rajya Sabha resumes at 2:30pm.

# Rajya Sabha adjourned after Ram Gopal Yada's address.

12:42pm: Samajwadi Party's expelled leader Ram Gopal Yadav

# Common man has to beg for his own money in banks.

# This is some kind of emergency in the country.
 

12:37pm: Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad in RS

# We were told earlier that the PM would be here, but then we found out he was in the Lok Sabha.

# We want Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come in Rajya Sabha in speak on the issue.

# We listen to the PM all the time. On TV and elsewhere. But he doesn’t hear us.

12:36pm: BJP's Piyush Goyal in RS

# I appeal to the people, please be assured the honest will not be hurt by this at all.

# If this is a surgical strike on black money, corruption, terrorism, then it is a certificate.

# The PM and the government was well within its rights to take this step. It was taken by the monetary board of the RBI.

12:30pm: BJP's Piyush Goyal in RS

# For the first time, the honest have been honoured and the dishonest have been troubled.

# When the PM was elected, he was elected on a mandate to curb corruption and black money.

# But parties are not taking it well, all parties should instead welcome PM's actions.

# There are no curbs on the common man today, it is only on criminals. What kind of a House can have objections to that?

# Today a festival of honesty is being celebrated across the country.

12:15pm: BJP's Piyush Goyal in RS

# Citizens of India fully backing govt on the note ban move. Measure to expose black money is necessary.

# Pehli baar desh mein imaandaar ka sammaan hua hai aur bemaan ka nuksaan.

# Aaj poora desh swagat kar raha hai sarkar ke is kadam ka.

12:10pm: BSP's Mayawati in RS

# It's a sensitive issue, we want the PM to come to the Rajya Sabha and take part in this discussion.

# I have been observing Jaitley ji in the Rajya Sabha and have noticed he does look very 'dukhi'.

12:05: Anand Sharma in RS

# BJP leaders go to wedding functions of Janardhan Reddy, and they talk about fighting black money, why don't you arrest him?

# I condemn PM's statement in Goa for mocking the people who are standing in queues; he must apologise.

# Jo naya 2000 ka note laye hain, jo rang chhodta hai, yeh bilkul jo bachpan mein churan wali pudiya milti thi waisa hai.

11:50am: Anand Sharma in RS

# I condemn PM's statement in Goa for mocking the people who are standing in queues; he must apologise: Anand Sharma in RS

# An atmosphere has been created by the Government where questioning it has become the parameter to decide one's nationalism.

# Government has list of those holding black money in Swiss Bank; we demand that PM must tell who all are there in the list.
 

# Bina surgery kare aajkal sab surgeon ban gaye hain, har cheez mein surgical strike keh rahe hain.
 

# Kis kanoon ne aapko adhikaar diya hai ki hume apne account se paisa nikalne pe bhi paabandi laga rahe hain?.

# All the farmers became jobless today, they are standing in queues, says Anand Sharma

# The demonetisation decision sent wrong message to the world that Indian economy runs on black money, says Anand Sharma in RS

# 86% of the currency in the markets was 500/1000 notes, was scrapped by just one announcement. Was it all black?: Anand Sharma, Cong in RS 

# Debate starts in Rajya Sabha with Anand Sharma's speech at 11:20am

# Lok Sabha adjourned till tomorrow after giving obituary to the members who have passed away

# Our party is not against the demonetisation decision but the way it has been implemented: BSP Chief Mayawati

# Parliament's winter session begins

# PM Narendra Modi hopes open discussion on issues as it will pave way for good decisions

# Government ready to hold discussion on all issues in Winter session of Parliament, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi

# TMC protests over demonetisation at Gandhi statue inside Parliament premises

# In the winter session, a very positive discussion will happen and on all issues with contribution of all parties: PM Modi

# In last session an important bill like GST was passed, it was a big step. I had thanked all parties then: PM Modi

# PM Narendra Modi reaches Parliament

# Congress Rajya Sabha strategy meeting underway in Parliament

We are ready for discussion on any issue, we are doing good work so we have no problems in discussing anything: Venkaiah Naidu,I&B Minister pic.twitter.com/ZRywQ6RCtC

— ANI (@ANI_news) November 16, 2016

Ready for discussion(on #DeMonetisation). Last time unanimously passed GST,all parties must make this winter session fruitful: Ananth Kumar pic.twitter.com/0P4PGkkJ3R

— ANI (@ANI_news) November 16, 2016

A demand for constitution of a JPC to go into the demonetisation is also on the opposition agenda.

Along with Congress, TMC, BSP and JD(U), many other parties has demanded immediate discussion on demonetisation of high denomination notes. Loksabha Business advisory committee meet to be conducted at 11:45 am to discuss agenda of the week.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to speak around 10:30 am. Congress Parliamentary strategy committee meeting is going to be held at 10 am.

NDA ally Shiv Sena, National Conference are likely to accompany West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who will lead the MPs of her party TMC in the march to Rashtrapati Bhawan to petition the President against demonetisation of high-value currency notes.

NDA ally Shiv Sena, National Conference are likely to accompany West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who will lead the MPs of her party TMC in the march to Rashtrapati Bhawan to petition the President against demonetisation of high-value currency notes.

Ahead of the session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met opposition leaders and sought their cooperation in the fight against black money and corruption for which, he said, the demonetisation exercise was undertaken.

In his concluding remarks at an all-party meeting on the eve of the Winter Session, Modi spoke in support of simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly polls. He pitched for state-funding of elections and asked parties to debate the issue.

The government is willing to discuss all issues and answer the questions raised by the opposition, Modi said, hoping for a fruitful session as he recalled the passage of the GST Bill in the last session with the cooperation of all parties.

“We have launched a crusade against corruption, black money and fake currency, which is also behind cross-border terrorism. All parties should come together on this issue of national interest,” he said.

However, an unrelenting opposition decided to step up its fight against the government during the session. Presenting a united face, arch rivals TMC and Left parties and SP and BSP, got together at a meeting convened by the main opposition Congress to formulate a joint strategy.

(With PTI inputs)