Lok Sabha witnesses introduction of two bills

Lok Sabha witnesses introduction of two bills amid din before being adjourned for the day

The Lok Sabha today witnessed the introduction of two bills amid din and faced two adjournments before it was finally adjourned for the day, however, the Rajya Sabha resumed its normal business without any adjournment.

When the Lok Sabha met for the day, opposition members including from the Congress and the DMK staged a walkout against the suspension of the 12 Rajya Sabha members. TRS members were in the well shouting slogans during the Question Hour. Speaker Om Birla requested the agitating members not to indulge in sloganeering. Later he adjourned the House till 2 pm.

When the House reassembled at 2 pm, TRS members resorted to sloganeering in the Well, seeking a bill on MSP and a uniform food grains procurement policy. Mr A.Raja, who was on the chair, asked the members to go back to their seats and raise the issue. However, as the sloganeering continued, he adjourned the House for an hour till 3 pm.

There has been no improvement in the situation at 3 pm also, with the TRS members shouting slogans by standing in the Well. However, amid the continuing din, two bills were introduced.

They included the High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2021 which was moved by Law minister Kiren Rijuju and the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill, 2020 by Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandavia.
Speaker Om Birla’s repeated appeal to the agitating members to maintain calm and to go to their seats from the Well were not heeded. At one point in time, the TRS member Nageswara Rao went to his seat and spoke briefly seeking a statement from the Government on their demands. However, as the din continued, Speaker Om Birla adjourned the house for the day.

Meanwhile, in the Rajya Sabha, the Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu rejected the appeal of Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge’s demand to revoke the suspension of 12 MPs of the House. Mr Naidu said the action has been taken by the House and not by him. He said, the erring members have even not expressed remorse for their behaviour and action taken in this regard is final. After that, the members from opposition parties including Congress, AAP and RJD started sloganeering. Later the opposition members including from Congress, the DMK, AAP and RJD staged a walkout.

Post lunch, when the House reassembled, the Leader of the House and Union Minister Piyush Goyal made a statement regarding the suspension of 12 members. He said, by their unruly behavior the MPs have denigrated the image of the House which the Country has watched on 11th August in the Rajya Sabha. He added that the decision on their suspension has been taken by the House considering the evidence at hand. He said the Opposition stand that the action cannot be taken as the incident took place on the last day of the previous session is unfounded.

Mr Goyal said, as the Rajya Sabha is an institution in continuity, action was taken against the members on the very first day of the current winter session. Mr Goyal demanded that the suspended MPs should apologize to the Nation and the House, adding, if they do, the government is ready to consider the revocation of their suspension. He also suggested that an all party meeting can be convened or even a discussion in the House can be held to discuss the better functioning of the House proceedings so that such incidents do not recur in future.

Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh also reiterated that the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition should meet to resolve the issue.

Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi said that the government never intended to run the House in the absence of the Opposition. He said the government is open to constructive criticism from the Opposition. He said, as the opposition has opted to boycott the proceedings for today, the Dam Safety Bill listed for consideration and passing today, may be taken up tomorrow in the presence of the opposition members. After that the Deputy Chairman adjourned the House for the day.