BJP to stage hunger strike on April 12 against Parliament washout

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar, Union ministers Ramvilas Paswan, J P Nadda and other BJP MPs protest against Congress and Opposition parties during the last day of the budget session, at Parliament House. Pic/PTI

Holding the Congress responsible for the Parliament washout in the second phase of the budget session, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to go on a hunger strike on April 12. Addressing the media on Friday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the weighted average of the productivity of both the budget sessions was 23% (Lok Sabha) and 28% (Rajya Sabha).

"It's because of the Congress, its attitude and strategy that our second phase could not work and we have decided to tell this to the public. On April 12 all BJP MPs will sit on a hunger strike for a day. We have already decided to forego our salary and allowance as the first step," Kumar said. Further elaborating, the Union Minister said the Congress party changed its parliamentary strategy throughout the session and indicated that their MPs countered their own move.

Cong announces fast on April 9
In a counter-offensive, the Congress said its workers would hold a day-long fast at all state and district headquarters on April 9 to expose the BJP's "lies" on various issues, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a fast by BJP MPs on April 12 to protest the impasse in Parliament for which he blamed the Opposition party.

Five YSR Congress MPs resign
Five YSR Congress Lok Sabha MPs submitted their resignation letters to Speaker Sumitra Mahajan over their demand for special category status to AP. The five MPs are Vara Prasad Rao V, Y V Subba Reddy, P V Midhun Reddy, Y S Avinash Reddy and Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy.

Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die
The Rajya Sabha was on Friday adjourned sine die at the end of the budget session, half of which was washed out due to disruptions, even as Chairman M Venkaiah wondered if the House could justify its existence and the resources spent on it.

PM's oppressive ideology can never respect Dalits: Rahul
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his recent remark that no government had honoured Dalit icon BR Ambedkar as the present NDA regime had. Gandhi charged that the "oppressive ideology" the prime minister belongs to "can never respect" Dalits and Ambedkar. The Congress president also posted on twitter a collage of images of alleged desecration of Ambedkar's statues in states including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Tamil Nadu.

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