Govt defends ordinances; Cong, Trinamool stage walkout in LS

NEW DELHI :  The government today defended Ordinances  on land and coal saying they will kickstart nation’s development  engine though the Congress and the Trinamool Congress walked out  from the Lok Sabha in protest against what they called it an  ‘insult’ of the Opposition.

Intervening in a debate on Motion of Thanks on the President’s address, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the Congress has been criticising the Centre for bringing ordinances but when the Opposition party was in power they had also brought various ordinances.
Mr Naidu said a total of 637 ordinances were passed during  the past 62 years and the Congress was in power at the Centre  at most of the period.
The Minister said the Narendra Modi government has brought ordinances on coal, land acquisition and e-rickshaws and these were in the interest of farmers and the entire country.    Leader of Congress in the House Mallikarjun Kharge said the Minister was insulting opposition members when the former tried to raise some points regarding ordinances.    “The Minister has every right to explain point of the government but he has no right to insult other members, he should have more patience than others,” Mr Kharge said as the Congress members were on their feet in protest against the government.    Trinamool member Kalyan Banerjee also supported Mr Kharge and had heated words with the ruling party’s members.    Later, the Congress and the Trinamool members walked out of the House.
“I have not insulted anyone, I have not taken name of anyone,” Mr Naidu explained to the Chair after walkout of the Congress and the Trinamool members.
(AGENCIES)