New Delhi: Agitated over fresh poverty line figures, members of Parliament on Wednesday directed their ire against Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia with demands that he be removed.
The Plan panel estimates pegging poverty line at Rs 28.65 per capita daily consumption in cities led to uproar in the Lok Sabha and Question Hour was scuttled as the House was adjourned.
As soon as the House assembled for the day, NDA Convenor Sharad Yadav and Prabodh Panda (CPI) were on their feet demanding suspension of the Question Hour for a discussion on latest poverty estimates.
Speaker Meira Kumar said she had disallowed the notices given by Yadav and Panda and called for the Question Hour.
BJP, JD(U) and Shiv Sena members then trooped into the Well raising slogans against the Planning Commission. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is also Chairman of the Planning Commission, was present in the House.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the discussion on the General Budget was yet to start and agitating members could raise the issue during the debate.
However, members were unrelenting and continued to raise slogans. Amid din, the Speaker adjourned the House till noon.
When the House met again, an impromptu discussion was allowed during which the members expressed their anger.
"Ahluwalia is away from ground realities. He needs to be removed as every time he speaks, things go wrong. He has never spoken a good thing. No one is agreeing with the latest data," Yadav said.
"Shoot the poor...give them poison...if you want to end poverty like this," he said.
Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj said it was wrong to blame the Plan panel as the Prime Minister himself heads the body.
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