Govt says not averse to discussion
New Delhi: The first day of the Winter session witnessed repeated adjournments of the Lok Sabha and an opposition walkout from the Rajya Sabha over demand for a debate on Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls as the government asserted that it is not averse to a discussion but a timeline cannot be set.
Interacting with reporters in Parliament House complex before the start of the session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at the Opposition, accusing it of turning Parliament into a “warm up arena” for elections or as an outlet to vent out frustration after defeat, and offered to give them tips to bring positivity in politics.
He said Parliament was not a place for drama but delivery.
In the Lok Sabha, amid disruptions, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced two new bills that seek to repurpose levies on ‘sin goods’ such as tobacco, pan masala and related products.
The bills were introduced ahead of the scheduled phaseout of the GST compensation cess levied on them.
In the Rajya Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju asserted that the government is not averse to holding a discussion on SIR or electoral reforms and asked the Opposition not to insist on setting a timeline.
He was responding to opposition members who were demanding an immediate discussion on the SIR or electoral reforms in the House.
Not satisfied with the minister’s response, members of several opposition parties staged a walkout from the Upper House.
Responding to the opposition parties’ demand to start an immediate discussion on the ongoing SIR exercise in nine states and three Union territories, Rijiju sought more time to respond to the matter.
Rajya Sabha Chairperson C P Radhakrishnan had earlier disallowed notices given by nine opposition members on several issues, including a discussion on SIR, leading to protests by the Opposition.
Separately, Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury triggered a row when she arrived in Parliament with a rescued stray in her car.
As some ruling party MPs accused her of indulging in drama, the former Union minister hit back saying “those sitting inside bite, dogs don’t”.
Chowdhury said she had picked up the stray earlier in the day and was taking it to a veterinarian. She also claimed that the government does not like animals and questioned the objections raised by the ruling party MPs, saying there was no law against rescuing a stray dog.
In the Lok Sabha, a relentless Opposition repeatedly trooped into the Well and raised slogans demanding debate on SIR, prompting Speaker Om Birla to caution them against lowering the dignity of the House.
The House saw two adjournments before being adjourned for the day around 2.20 pm as disruptions continued.
The Lower House also passed the Manipur GST Bill to replace an ordinance promulgated to implement the GST 2.0 reforms in the northeastern state. The Bill was introduced on Monday itself and cleared after a brief debate.
It was the first day of Radhakrishnan as the presiding officer after being elected as the vice president in September following the sudden resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Addressing the House, Radhakrishnan urged members to uphold the Constitution and follow parliamentary norms while adhering to the ‘Lakshman Rekha’ as envisaged under the rules of the Upper House.
He also called upon members to respect institutions and understand their responsibilities towards the nation.
Welcoming the new Chair, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the rise of Radhakrishnan from an ordinary background to the office of Vice President reflects the true strength of democracy, and hoped his experience and guidance will aid in the smooth running of the Rajya Sabha.
At the start of the Winter session of Parliament, Modi congratulated him and wished that the House, under this guidance, would have meaningful discussions and take crucial decisions.
“I congratulate you, and I am confident that every member of this House will honour its traditions and uphold your dignity as well,” the prime minister said.
The Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, while welcoming Chairperson Radhakrishnan made a mention of the “unexpected and sudden exit” of his predecessor Dhankhar that triggered sharp reactions from the treasury benches.
In his brief speech, Kharge urged the Rajya Sabha Chair to maintain a balance between both sides and allow the opposition members also to raise their issues in the House.
