NDA boycotts Lok Sabha protesting presence of 'tainted ministers'

The boycott lasted the whole day and will be lifted when parliament meets today even as the opposition decided to continue its agitation to drop the ministers who are facing criminal charges.

The boycott covered presentation of railway budget, the second most important economic event, by Railway Minister and Bihar strongman Lalu Prsaad Yadav who is among the federal ministers facing charges and court cases.

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The decision to stop stalling parliament proceedings was taken at a meeting of opposition lawmakers after which a resolution said "unlike the Congress, the Communists and the RJD, who frequently disrupted the proceedings of the House during the six-year long rule of Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, the NDA believes in the smooth functioning of parliament...the NDA will perform its duty conscientiously."

Tuesday's decision ends the impasse witnessed in parliament since the brief opening session of the 14th Lok Sabha last month when BJP-led NDA stalled proceedings. The opening day of the Budget Session on Monday was also washed out by the NDA protest.

Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha L K Advani later told reporters that the meeting felt that the proceedings should be allowed and important issues should be discussed. "This form (stalling of proceedings) of protest will end today. There will be different forms of protest from today," he said.