As opposition Bharatiya Janata Party plans to disrupt Parliament proceedings on the Nandigram issue, the Left parties on Thursday decided not to allow it to be raised, saying it was a "state subject".
After a meeting of four Left parties, the leaders maintained that the Nandigram issue was a "state law and order subject" which could not be discussed in Parliament as rules did not permit such matters to be raised.
"Parliament functions according to rules. Whatever the rules permit, can be discussed. Nandigram can be discussed in the West Bengal assembly, but not in Parliament," CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta told a joint press conference with other Left leaders, including his party colleague D Raja and CPI(M)'s Sitaram Yechury, Basudeb Acharya and Rupchand Pal.
Recalling the police firing on Nandigram agitators on March 14 when a demand for debate was made by Leader of Opposition L K Advani, Acharya said deputy speaker C S Atwal had then ruled that it could not be discussed as it was a state subject.
"That ruling still stands," he said. The mood of the Left parties seemed to be geared up to meet any threat of the saffron party and its ally Trinamool Congress to disrupt proceedings.
"The BJP always has issues to stall proceedings. In the last session, it had raised the demand for a joint parliamentary committee on the Indo-US nuclear deal, which was not permitted as per rules," Dasgupta said.
"It is our open appeal to Advani to allow Parliament to function and not denigrate Parliament," he said, adding there were all indications that the BJP would stall proceedings on Monday.
