Opposition makes government give in to ‘defective’ demand

Smile and strategise: Piyush Goyal, Anurag Thakur, Paresh Rawal, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and other MPs after a BJP parliamentary party meeting. (Source: Express photo by Renuka Puri)

The Rajya Sabha debated over six hours on parliamentary procedure before the government agreed to send the mines and minerals bill to a select committee. The debate engaged lawyer MPs from either side — Arun Jaitley, Anand Sharma and Ashwini Kumar.

“On the basis of consensus in the House, I am not putting the motion to vote,” deputy chairman P J Kurien finally said. “Tomorrow morning the Leader of the House, Leader of the Opposition, leaders of parties and Parliamentary Affairs Minister will meet and finalise the names and the time frame (of the select committee).”

The CPM’s P Rajeeve insisted on voting on his motion seeking amendments. Jaitley countered that the motion has become infructuous as Rajeeve is proposed to be a member of the select committee suggested. Citing a ruling of 1954, Jaitley said proposed select committee members should not speak on the motion of the reference for sending to the panel. Anand Sharma cited Rajya Sabha rules from 1964, saying these take precedence over the older ruling the minister was citing.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said there are two ways for a solution now that Rajeeve’s motion has become “infructuous”: either the chair puts the bill to vote or postpones the matter for a day by when there can be a revised motion for referring the bill to the select committee, with a seven-day time-frame. JD-U’s Sharad Yadav suggested the bill be sent to a select committee which would file a report in 10 days or so. Naidu agreed but wanted a shorter time-frame. Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad suggested a way out: while the bill is with a select committee, the government promulgates a new ordinance on the bill after the Parliament session ends in May.

Kurien, while making it clear that he is not getting into the legalities of the motion, said once moved, it has become property of the House and only the House can withdraw it.

The ruling side also contended that the motion to set up a select committee does not have any members from the treasury. Jaitley said the motion is prima facie defective. “His motion has become infructuous. It cannot be put to vote. Rajeeve’s motion has sunk,” he said. “If you want only a section of the House to represent it, if you want such an absurdity, so be it. Please go ahead with it.” Kurien said he will feel guilty passing a motion as it did not represent the entire House.

Earlier, moving the bill for passage, Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the bill should be executed in toto to boost employment and improve the economy. The House saw several adjournments amid the debate.

Source:: Indian Express