BJP sticks to ‘quit PM’ demand

New Delhi  : Both houses of parliament were adjourned for the fourth day Friday as the BJP kept up its demand for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s resignation over alleged irregularities in allocation of coal blocks.

When the Rajya Sabha met in the post-lunch session, Bharatiya Janata Party members were again on their feet demanding the prime minister’s exit.

Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien urged them to let the house function as the post-lunch session was reserved for private members business. However, as the din continued, the house was adjourned till Monday.

The house was earlier adjourned till noon by Chairman M. Hamid Ansari, and then till 2.30 p.m. by Kurien.

It was a similar scene in the Lok Sabha where BJP MPs were on their feet raising slogans over a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report that examined coal block allocation.

Amid the ruckus, Speaker Meira Kumar adjourned the house till 12 noon. But troubled continued later too.

India’s official auditor last week revealed that the lack of transparency in the allocation of coal blocks to private players resulted in a loss of Rs.1.85 lakh crore ($37 billion) to the exchequer.