BJP and opposition members entered into heated exchanges in Lok Sabha today following the latter's protest against the government's move for parliamentary nod to reject a 1999 award given by the Board of Arbitration on the pay scales of certain government officials.
After Union Minister Haribhai Prathibhai Chaudhary moved the resolution, A Sampath (CPI-M) rose to speak against it, saying it was "anti-government employee and anti-working class" and alleged that the government was using Parliament to circumvent an order in their favour.
It also drew support from Congress leaders.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley took a dig at Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, saying the award was given in 1999 and he as a Labour Minister during the UPA government could have executed it if he was keen on it.
As the House passed it with a voice vote and the Speaker moved on to the next item on agenda, opposition members began demanding a division, saying it should be seen who is "against" the interests of working class, inviting sharp response from the treasury benches.
Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, however, rejected it, saying that issue was over and she had moved on to another topic.
The resolution said the award if accepted will have wider financial and administrative implications as similar demands would be raised by a large number of other similarly placed staff in the government, "which will not be in the interest of national economy and social justice".
