TMC refuses to sign Opposition memorandum on finance bill; CPM calls party 'potential ally' of BJP

New Delhi: The CPM on Tuesday hit out at the Trinamool Congress (TMC), calling it a “potential ally of the BJP”, for not signing an Opposition memorandum that accused the government of trying to pass the Budget and demand for grants without discussions in the Lok Sabha. “It is the game-plan of the BJP to pass the Budget and demands for grants without discussion and it is being supported by its allies and some potential allies,” CPM leader Mohammed Salim told reporters, when asked about the absence of a TMC representation in the memorandum. [caption id=“attachment_4388907” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption] The Opposition parties, including the Left, Congress, RJD and NCP, submitted the memorandum to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Tuesday, expressing their strong Opposition to the government, and demanded her intervention to protect the rights of MPs. “The government is not even coming forward to settle the issue (the Opposition’s discontent) for a smooth functioning of the House. On the other hand, it is hell bent on passing the bill without a proper scrutiny. “Therefore, we, the Opposition party members, would like to express our strong protest and demand an immediate intervention from you to protect the rights of the Parliament members,” the memorandum read. In the document, the Opposition has also referred to the 5 March Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting, in which the government had allotted time for discussion for six ministries — railways, agriculture and farmers’ welfare, social justice and empowerment, health and family welfare, youth affairs and road transport and highways — but the date and time for guillotine and the Finance Bill were not mentioned. This, the Opposition alleged, showed the “arrogance” of the government.