For those who came in late today: The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha opened to noisy demands from Opposition parties that the government come clean on the status of Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi. In Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj's words, "Is Dinesh Trivedi the Railway Minister? Is his rail budget dead or alive?"
In the Rajya Sabha, Ms Swaraj's colleague, Arun Jaitley called it the "theatre of the absurd." Minister Rajiv Shukla said the House would be briefed soon. The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon amid chaos.
In the Lok Sabha, too the government faced a slew of questions from the BJP and other parties. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that Mr Trivedi has not resigned yet. However, he confirmed that Mr Trivedi's boss, Mamata Banerjee, who is a key ally in the UPA, has written to the PM asking for Mr Trivedi's dismissal. Mr Mukherjee said the government has not yet taken a decision on her request. However, Sudip Bandhopadhya who is from Ms Banerjee's party said that the Trinamool Congress has not asked for Mr Trivedi to be fired. That comment suggested complete confusion between the government and Mr Trivedi's party about his status.
Outside, Trinamool MPs are holding a dharna against the minister and his new fares.
Dinesh Trivedi who is facing the wrath of his party chief for hiking passenger fares in the Railways Budget he presented yesterday in parliament, is in the Lok Sabha today.