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Parliament Diary: Uproar in RS over Private Members’ Bill on Reservations and Role of Governors

The Lok Sabha meanwhile saw uproar over remarks on the ‘division’ of Bengal and alleged scams in Karnataka, while Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Aazad introduced a bill to provide reservations in the private sector.
Lok Sabha MP Chandrashekhar Aazad protesting outside the parliament building holding banners asking for an end to killings of Dalits in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Photo: X.com/BhimArmyChief
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New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha witnessed dramatic scenes twice on Friday (July 26) during the discussion on private members’ bill with the opposition and the Treasury benches locking horns over a bill introduced by Samajwadi Party MP Javed Ali Khan to grant reservations to backward castes in proportion to their population and another bill by CPI(M) MP John Brittas, seeking an amendment in the Constitution on the role of Governors.

In the Lok Sabha, proceedings were briefly adjourned after TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee during Zero Hour referred to Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region Sukanta Majumdar’s statement from the day before calling for a “division” of West Bengal and including North Bengal with the NorthEast. BJP MP’s then raised the issue of the alleged Valmiki Corporation scam in Karnataka. 

First time MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Nagina, Chandrashekhar Aazad introduced a bill for reservations in the private sector and protested outside parliament seeking justice for killings of Dalits.

Rajya Sabha uproar over private members’ bill on reservations

The Rajya Sabha witnessed dramatic scenes of protest both from the Opposition and Treasury benches after Samajwadi Party MP Javed Ali Khan introduced a private members’ bill granting reservations to backward castes in proportion to their population.

After Khan introduced the bill, Congress MP Neeraj Dangi stood up to speak on the legislation but was soon interrupted by loud protests from the Treasury benches. Dangi continued his speech through the protests from Treasury benches and sought a caste census and removing the 50% cap on reservations. Amid protests, Dangi said that the BJP government is against OBCs.

“BJP enjoys the support of the OBCs but they are speaking against OBCs in parliament,” he said.

Amid uproar from both sides,  Phangnon Konyak, who was in Chair, adjourned the House. When the House reconvened, the uproar also resumed as vice president and Rajya Sabha chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar returned to the Chair.

As the loud protests resumed from the Treasury Benches, Dhankhar said to union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju that a member cannot be stopped from speaking because he has a different opinion.

“Every member of the House has the right to his point of view. And you will have the right to contradict. I think, honourable parliamentary affairs minister we cannot continue with debate if someone only speaks what you want or what they want. There will be different voices. I will appeal to everyone in the House that there is always the other point of view. It is not necessary we agree. We must maintain order in the House,” he said.

Union minister Piyush Goyal then stood up and referred to a tweet by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh when the House was adjourned in which he had accused the BJP of causing a ruckus and being against backward communities.

“It is they who made a ruckus in the House and it is they who insulted a lady who was sitting in the Chair who comes from an Adivasi community. They are insulting an Adivasi and making such allegations. I demand an apology,” said Goyal.

Amid loud protests from both sides, Rijiju also rose and said that Singh should delete his tweet.

“I myself come from a backward class. But while giving a speech, if an allegation is made, no other prime minister has worked as much for SC/ST/OBC communities as Narendra Modi. Now if someone makes an allegation here, despite doing so much work, if such an allegation is made against our government, it is a misleading statement. Congress has always opposed reservations. Everyone knows Rajiv Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru’s position. By saying that we are against reservations they are misleading the House and we will not tolerate it,” he said.

Singh then rose from his seat and said he was being threatened with jail.

“Dangi was taking part in the debate. They were interrupting. If they did not interrupt why was the House adjourned? And I tweeted about it. Now the minister is angry and so many are standing behind him and threatening me. I will not be scared of threats. They are giving threats to send me to jail. Send me to jail. Who is afraid of jail?” he said.

Rijiju then responded that his objection was not against Singh tweeting but “misleading” with his tweet.

CPI(M) MP’s bill on role of governors disallowed

CPI (M) MP John Brittas sought to introduce a private members’ bill titled the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (amendment of article 158) – seeking to make governors constitutionally bound by the advice of the Council of Ministers of states.

The bill was defeated after loud protests from Treasury benches leading to a division of votes and the bill finally not being allowed to be introduced.

“What is happening now is governors are being unleashed on the elected governments,” Brittas said on his bill.

BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, opposing the bill said that if governors are considered to be a representative of the President and if they are to abide by the advice of the Council of Ministers, then where is the right of the President.

BJP MP Harivansh who was in the chair announced a division of votes in which the bill was defeated by 21-56 and Brittas could not introduce the bill.

Later Brittas in a statement said that while the prime minister speaks about cooperative federalism a private bill “that was brought to ensure that governors function as per constitution, in line with the advice rendered by elected govts, witnessed unprecedented scenes in RS.BJP managed to block the introduction, burying federalism!”

Uproar in Lok Sabha over ‘division’ of Bengal, Karnataka scam

Meanwhile the Lok Sabha saw loud protests from both the opposition and the Treasury benches after TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee referred to Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region Sukanta Majumdar’s statement from the day before calling for a “division” of West Bengal and including North Bengal with the NorthEast.

“The honourable minister said that north Bengal will be divided,” said Banerjee.

Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla objected to the statement being raised and said that it was made outside the House. Banerjee then referred to BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s statement in the House on July 25 in which he said “two districts will be taken out of West Bengal”.

Amid protest from Banerjee and the opposition members Birla then asked BJP MP P.C. Mohan to speak, who raised the alleged multi-crore scam at the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd.

“The finance department is handled by none other than the chief minister, Siddaramaiah,” said Mohan as Birla refused to allow the issue to be raised.

Both the opposition and the Treasury benches raised loud protests, leading Birla to adjourn the House shortly after.

Chandrashekhar Aazad introduces bill for reservations in private sector

Also in the Lok Sabha, Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Aazad introduced three private members bill including one to provide reservation for SC/ST/OBCs in the private sector.

The other two bills introduced by him include one to provide residential schools for SC/ST children and another for the establishment of schools providing free education up to higher and secondary level to all children in the country.

Later Aazad protested outside the parliament building holding banners asking for an end to killings of Dalits in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, referring to the deaths of Shankarlal Meghwal and Ramkumar Jatav.

“We are being killed by bullets and swords in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. There is no one to listen. I asked the speaker for time to speak. If they won’t let me speak what will I do in parliament if I cannot raise the voice of my people,” he said. 

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