The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday witnessed six adjournments due to protests by members of the Samajwadi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, alleging misuse of the CBIagainst the Opposition parties.
Soon after the House resumed business, the protesting members gathered in the well of the House shouting slogans leading to adjournment till 2 p.m. Requests by Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu went unheeded. The members also held a sit-in.
On Tuesday, the Chairman met the Opposition leaders on the government’s move for extension of the winter session of the House for a day.
According to a source, the Opposition expressed reservations over the manner in which the proposal was brought in the last minute. They said as the session was scheduled till Tuesday, they had planned to leave for the respective States on account of prior commitments. They added that a conducive atmosphere was not there for transaction of any legislative business.
The Chairman later met the Leader of the House, Arun Jaitley, who said that it was the government’s prerogative to call, advance or extend the session of Parliament or either of the two Houses, and that rules empowered the Chairman to agree to the government’s request for extension to enable completion of essential business. Expressing concern over pending legislative business, including three Ordinance replacement Bills, he also said there was a broad consensus on the proposed 10% reservation for the poor among the upper castes and the Bill having been passed by the Lok Sabha, it had to be taken up in the Rajya Sabha.
In the second half, Deputy Chairman Harivansh had to adjourn the proceedings five times, the last one for the day. During the adjournments, Mr. Harivansh met the Opposition leaders and the Leader of the House on enabling some important legislative business. There was an understanding on passing the Ordinance replacement of Bills relating to the Medical Council of India and the Companies Amendment Act.
Amid loud protests, Health Minister J. P. Nadda moved the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2018, for consideration and passage, after Congress member T. Subbarami Reddy could not move the statutory resolution disapproving the Companies (Amendment) Ordinance.
While sloganeering by the SP, BSP and RJD members continued, several Congress members also gathered in the Well to lodge protest as they were not getting the opportunity to voice their opinion on the Bill.