New Delhi, Jul 20 (PTI) Several opposition leaders Thursday boycotted Rajya Sabha’s Business Advisory Committee proceedings in protest against the prime minister not making a statement on the Manipur issue inside Parliament and the government bringing a bill to replace an ordinance on Delhi’s services matter despite it being sub-judice.
Leaders of the Congress party and other opposition parties including the Left, Trinamool Congress, DMK, RJD, NCP and the AAP staged a walkout from the meeting of the BAC as their protest in writing was not lodged by the chairman.
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) also joined them in walking out.
Tiruchi Siva (DMK) said the BAC meeting was held in the morning and the agenda was to allot time for discussion on all bills.
“The NCT (National Capital Territory) Bill is very controversial and is also sub-judice. We all suggested that this bill should not be taken up – either replacing the Ordinance or disapproving of the ordinance, we were all against it, but the chairman did not agree.
“We said when most parties are disapproving of the bill and there is no consensus and there is lack of majority, how could the time be decided. But the chairman said the house will decide. We wanted to register our protest, but that was not registered,” he said, adding this prompted them to stage a walkout from the meeting.
He said the next bill was the Forest Conservation Bill for which the Joint Parliamentary Committee report has not yet been submitted. “We were all of the view that only if the report is submitted and after having gone through it we can allot time, as we do not know the contents of the Committee,” he noted, adding that even that was not accepted.
“So we all felt that there is no meaning of being in the BAC, just acting whatever they want to. When we were not heard of and our views were not taken into consideration and when everyone was opposing except the ruling party… we though it was not right to be a part of the BAC. All opposition parties walked out of the BAC,” Siva said.
Sanjay Singh (AAP) said during the BAC meeting, a bill was brought to curtail the powers of the state government and all parties opposed it.
“All of the opposition parties boycotted and walked out of the business advisory committee meeting as all of them opposed the bill being brought. This bill is against the federal structure of the country and it is a ‘black bill and is unconstitutional’. The chairman did not listen to us, so we boycotted the BAC,” Singh said.
Jairam Ramesh (Congress) said all the 26 parties and members of opposition grouping INDIA wanted a discussion on Manipur. The prime minister should make a statement in both houses, he said.
Manoj Kumar Jha (RJD) said, “We are speaking on behalf of the idea of India, as the government has brought a bill which is unconstitutional and is destroying the federal structure. “ “The bill is against the Supreme Court verdict. We cannot be part of a decision-making process which is unconstitutional. That is why we all walked out of the meeting of the BAC,” he said.
Pramod Tiwari (Congress) said the bill to replace the Delhi Ordinance should not be brought in Parliament till the time a decision is taken in the Supreme Court. “As the matter is sub-judice before the constitutional bench of the SC, we opposed bringing of the NCT Ordinance”.
K Keshava Rao (BRS) said matters which are sub-judice are not taken up in Parliament. “We wanted to bring on record our dissent on bringing such a bill which is sub-judice.” Elamaram Kareem (CPI-M) said no bill should be brought in the house on matter which is sub-judice.
Fauzia Khan (NCP) said, “We opposed the NCT bill and wanted our opposition to be recorded in the business advisory committee. When this was not recorded, we staged a walkout. Our demand for a statement from the prime minister on Manipur is not being agreed to and that is why we boycotted the BAC meeting.” PTI SKC SKC TIR TIR
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