Opening day of Winter session saw Parl adjournment

New Delhi, Nov 22: Both Houses of the Parliament was adjourned on the opening day of the Winter Session as the issue of rollback in the hike in diesel prices, increasing the quota of subsidied LPG cylinders and the issue of law and order in Uttar Pradesh disrupt proceedings.

Earlier, month-long Winter Session of Parliament started in New Delhi with customary obituary references.

Following uproar, both the houses have been adjourned till 12 noon.

Later in the afternoon when Lok Sabha resumed, soon it was adjourned till 12:30 PM after uproar by Trinamool Congress over notice of no-confidence motion on FDI in retail.

Earlier, newly elected BJP MP from Tehri, Uttarakhand Vijay Laxmi Shah and Congress MP form Jangipur, West Bengal Abhijeet Mukherjee were administered oath in the Lok Sabha.

With the united opposition firm on discussion on FDI in retail under a rule that entails voting, the stage is now set for a stormy Winter Session.

25 Bills including Lokpal, Whistle Blowers Protection and Women Reservation are listed for consideration and passing and 10 others for introduction during 22 days sittings of Parliament.

Key economic reforms Bills in sectors like insurance, pension and banking have also been lined up for passage.

Govt ready to discuss all issues in Par: Kamal Nath

Government on Thursday said it was ready to discuss all issues during the Winter Session of Parliament but accused the Opposition of "not being reasonable" by insisting on the time, date and rule under which a discussion can take place.

"This is the first day of the Winter Session. Let no party conduct itself in a way as if this is the last day of the session," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath told reporters outside Parliament House.

Asked whether the government was open to discussion in Lok Sabha on FDI in retail under Rule 184 which entails voting, Nath said, "The Speaker has to admit it. We have to see under what rule. We have to see what is the tradition in it."

"We cannot say we want it under this rule, on this day and at this time. We have to explain that this is not being reasonable," he said.

Nath, who was flanked by Ministers of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla and Paban Singh Ghatowar, said the government was ready to discuss any issue on the floor of the House as long as it was within the rules of Parliamentary procedure.

"Let us not conduct ourselves in a manner which appears to the people of this country that we are not behaving responsibly -- whether it is the government or the opposition," he said.

BJP submits breach of privilege notice against Anand Sharma

BJP MPs Prakash Javadekar and Rajiv Pratap Rudy have submitted to the Rajya Sabha chairman Mohd. Hamid Ansari, a breach of privilege notice against Union minister Anand Sharma on the issue of FDI in retail, who had assured the House that all stakeholders would be consulted before a decision is taken on the issue.

BJP maintains that despite making this promise in both Houses of Parliament, the government went ahead unilaterally to allow 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail.

Javdekar and Rudy are learnt to have alleged that this assurance was not kept and this amounts to a breach of privilege. If the Chairman admits the notice then it would be sent to the Privileges Committee for further action.

Speaker holds all-party meeting seeking floor coordination

On the eve of the session, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar held an all-party meeting seeking floor coordination.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Meira Kumar said, leaders of all political parties have assured smooth functioning of Parliament to discuss issues of vital importance to the common man.

The Speaker said, the parties have assured to cooperate for transacting business in the house. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said the Parliament belongs to all and convergence has to be arrived at through discussion on contentious issues to avoid disruption of proceedings.

PM invites top brass of BJP for dinner today

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has invited the top brass of main Opposition BJP for a dinner today to ensure smooth functioning of Parliament in the winter session.

Dr Singh had invited BJP Parliamentary Party Chief L K Advani, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and her Rajya Sabha counterpart Arun Jaitley for a dinner on November 17 in his bid to reach out to the party.

But the dinner was cancelled by the PM at Swaraj's request in the wake of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray's death. Government has made all efforts to ensure it has the required numbers in the Lok Sabha by reaching out to its allies and parties supporting it from outside.

Singh has held dinner and luncheon meetings with allies DMK and NCP as well as outside supporters SP and BSP.