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As the Monsoon Session of Parliament ended after most of its sittings were washed out, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday held the UPA Government responsible, saying that the ruling party didn't accept the opposition's demands, and therefore, both Houses didn't function. BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said her party had already said that it would allow Parliament to function if the coal blocks allocations were cancelled, but this demand wasn't accepted. "We had said we would allow Parliament to function if coal blocks allocations were cancelled, but they weren't accepted. Government didn't accept our demands, so Parliament didn't function. Government's numerical strength in Parliament doesn't give it licence to loot," she added. She further said the battle that was fought inside Parliament would now take place outside. "I am glad most political parties back our demands," she added. "On September 13, the core group of the party will meet and decide how to take the issue to the grassroots and villages", she added. Echoing similar sentiment, BJP leader Arun Jaitley said: "It is unfortunate that ending corruption and fixing coal block allocations wasn't in the prime minister's priorities. The country is faced with a question of how to clean up the entire process of allocation of natural resources." He said that the BJP agitation in Parliament was an attempt to shake the conscience of the country, similar to when a similar agitation three years ago led to a clean up of the telecom sector. With the opposition sticking to its demand for Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's resignation over the coal blocks allocation issue, the Monsoon Session of Parliament was adjourned sine die on Friday. The month-long session, which began on August 8, has been one of the least productive sessions in the history of Parliament - only six of the 31 bills listed could be passed as logjam over coal scam paralysed the House. The session, which usually starts in July, got delayed due to the presidential election on July 19 and the vice presidential poll on August 7. Among the crucial bills, which passed in Parliament are the Protection of Women Against Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill and a bill to create six AIIMS-like premier medical institutes across the country. Of 15 bills listed for introduction, just five were introduced. Of the 108 hours that the Lok Sabha was scheduled to meet, it worked for just 24 hours and the Rajya Sabha worked for 26 of 90 hours.

BJP says Govt's numerical strength doesn't give it licence to loot: Coal blocks allocations