Trinamool Congress MPs protest over black money issue during the Winter Session of Parliament in New Delhi on Tuesday. (Press Trust of India)
Targeted by Opposition parties over untaxed or black money parked in foreign accounts, the government has said that it is ready for a debate on the issue in Parliament on Wednesday. The Opposition has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of reneging on his promise to bring back crores stashed by Indians abroad.
Here are the latest developments in this story
Bhartruhari Mahtab of the Biju Janata Dal on Tuesday gave a notice in the Lok Sabha for discussion on the issue under Rule 193 that does not entail voting.
"The government is ready for discussion on the issue in both Houses of Parliament," Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Pratap Rudy told Press Trust of India.
Now that the government has agreed for a debate on the issue, a short duration discussion will take place in both Houses of Parliament on Wednesday. The government's efforts, sources say, are directed towards breaking the unity of the Opposition.
But the government's yes to the discussion under a rule that does not entail voting, is not likely to go down well with the Trinamool Congress and Janata Dal (United) - key Opposition parties behind demands for a debate on the black money issue - who have maintained that there should be a vote.
On Tuesday, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for 40 minutes over loud protests and slogan-shouting against the government.
Members of Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress blocked the main entrance of the Parliament Building, holding up black umbrellas with "Kala Dhan (black money) written on them. Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav also joined the protest briefly. "The Congress government at least gave black money figures. They are not even saying how much there is. They promised to get back black money in 100 days, now it has been six months," Mr Yadav said.
When the Lok Sabha began work, Trinamool MPs rushed to the Well of the House with the umbrellas and shouting slogans. They were soon joined by members from the Congress, RJD, Samajwadi Party and Aam Aadmi Party.
Mamata Banerjee has vowed to "politically retaliate" against the BJP after the arrest of her party men in the multi-crore Saradha Chit Fund scam. She accuses the BJP of using the CBI to target her party for attending a Congress-sponsored event in Delhi.
The Opposition plans to block key legislation in Rajya Sabha, where the government is in a minority. These bills include the Insurance Bill.
The Winter Session will continue till December 23 and will have 22 sittings. The government has detailed 37 bills - including the insurance bill and the Goods and Service Tax Bill.
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