New Delhi: 2.37 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day after uproar over coal block allocation issue.
1.12 pm: Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal also defended the government over the coal block allocation issue. "Opposition should let the house function. They are stopping the democratic process of the country," he said.
"Coal allocation policy has been the same since 1993. Government made an effort to bring transparency. The policy was opposed by BJP states including Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa," he added.
1.08 pm: Chidambaram also said that the CAG report is flawed. "I regret to say the presumptive loss is very flawed. Eminent writers have pointed out this flaw."
1.03 pm: Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Friday said that the government is disappointed with the behaviour of the Opposition in Parliament. "Coal minister has briefed twice and cleared all doubts. Despite that the Opposition, especially the BJP is unwilling to let the house function, discuss the matter on the floor of the house. Government is willing to debate and discuss any matter in the Parliament."
"We make an appeal to the Opposition that when Parliament meets on Monday, we should let the Parliament work. Parliament's business for the whole week has been paralysed. We are very disappointed. We can begin with CAG report on coal, we are ready to discuss as long as they want" he added.
12.25 pm: Home Minister Sushil Shinde and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Bansal met Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj. BJP sources say that Sushma conveyed that there is no question of backing out from demand of the Prime Minister's resignation.
12.17 pm: Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said that the Opposition needs to talk to the government. "We are not worried about any of our allies being wooed by the BJP. They are secular and know everything," he said.
12.09 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2.30 pm.
12.06 pm: Lok Sabha adjourned till Monday over coal blocks allocation.
12.02 pm: Parliament resumes. Opposition uproar continues.
11.02 am: The standoff between the Opposition and the government over the CAG report on coal block allocation continued on the fourth day of Parliament as both the Houses were adjourned till 12 noon again on Friday after Opposition uproar.
Earlier, government hoped that parties within the opposition rank, who favour a discussion on coal allocation issue, would prevail upon those who favour disruption of the proceedings.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said that parties, who had supported BJP in disrupting the proceedings, would now prevail upon it in the next week to go for a discussion.
He was apparently referring to JD(U), a key constituent of the NDA.
He said that as Friday is a day of private members' business, the House should be allowed to function as individual MPs get only one day to move their bills and resolutions.
On the question of 'no work, no pay' for MPs, he said when he was a Member of Parliament, he had moved a private member's bill to this effect.
Parliament proceedings have remained disrupted for three days with the BJP-led parties seeking resignation of the Prime Minister on the issue of CAG report on coal block allocation.
(With additional inputs from PTI)
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