Houses adjourned on Day 9 over retail FDI; MPs get 4-day holiday

Having prevented Parliament from functioning ever since the start of the winter session on 22 November over the issue of foreign investment in retail (and enjoyed paid holidays after every noon), MPs are now set to give themselves an extended weekend.

The deadlock over foreign equity in retail and other issues continued for the ninth day today, with the opposition and some members of the ruling United Progressive Alliance vociferously seeking withdrawal of the measure. Both houses were adjourned till Wednesday, as Monday and Tuesday are official holidays.

The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned minutes after members gathered in the respective houses. The presiding officers first cancelled Question Hour; then adjourned both houses for the day amid the din created by MPs when they reconvened at noon.

Trouble erupted in the Lok Sabha as soon as the MPs met for the day's sitting. The opposition and some members of the Trinamool Congress, a key constituent of the UPA, created an uproar over the cabinet decision to allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in the retail sector.

Pressing speaker Meira Kumar to accept the BJP notice for an adjournment motion (which would entail voting), Bharatiya Janata Party and Left members raised slogans and demanded that the government should revoke the policy.

Trinamool Congress members also protested the move and some of them shouted the slogan that has become the sine qua non in Parliament over recent days - "FDI waapas lo, waapas lo" (reverse the decision).