Opposition unites to stall 2 key bills

A united Opposition on Monday stalled the Modi government’s move to take up two key pieces of legislation as the move would compromise debates on the Railway and General Budgets and stated that it was ready to extend the Rajya Sabha’s sitting by a day or two to help pass government legislation. A defensive government stated that it had discussed the issue with various political parties who were against extending the first half of the session.

The Opposition blocked discussion on the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016, and the Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015, through supplementary agenda, and stated that bringing bills like this was not proper. The ruling NDA is in a minority in the Upper House.

“There will be no reduction in Railway and General Budget discussion. This is for the first time that the Opposition wants to pass bills and extend the session by two days if government wants to get key legislation passed. But it is the government which is not forthcoming,” Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said soon after the government attempted to bring the Enemy Property Bill.

Minister of state for parliamentary affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, “All parties are not agreeing (on extending the session) and government is talking to various parties. We are in discussion, we will come back on this.”

The issue came up soon after the lunch break as Mr Naqvi urged the Chair to allow the taking up of the Enemy Property Bill as Union home minister Rajnath Singh was present in the House. This was strongly objected to by Opposition members, who wanted the Railway and General Budgets taken up first and consider taking up the bills only thereafter. The bill has already been passed in the Lok Sabha.

The Leader of the Opposition alleged that the government does not intend to bring the Aadhaar Bill in the Upper House and wants it to become legislation without discussion in this House.

“We want a discussion on the Aadhaar Bill even if it is for an hour, so that it is not passed without debate,” he said.

However, Mr Naqvi sought an hour’s time for discussion on the Enemy Property Bill and asked the Opposition not to view this from “a communal angle”. This was objected to by Naresh Agarwal (SP), D. Raja (CPI) and Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (TMC).

Mr Agarwal sought the immediate expunction of the word “communal” as stated by Mr Naqvi.

Deputy chairman P.J. Kurien said these were valid points raised by the members and the bill could be taken up only afterwards. He said that if the government wants, and members are ready, it can extend the session.

Later in the evening, a similar scene was witnessed when the government tried to take up the Whistler Blowers Bill for consideration and passage after the reply of the railway minister to a debate on the Rail Budget. Opposition parties reminded Mr Naqvi that the government had assured it would not bring any bill for passage and the agreement between the government and the Opposition was to pass the General Budget and Railway Budget.

At this, Mr Naqvi said minister of state for personnel and training Jitendra Singh has been coming prepared to pass the bill for days but has had to return every day. The Whistle Blowers Bill had been moved in the Rajya Sabha during the Winter Session itself.