Eight Bills get Parliament nod after Rijiju’s ultimatum to Opposition
Asks them to join debate, or govt will move ahead with usual business
New Delhi: Parliament on Monday passed eight Bills as Union minister Kiren Rijiju slammed the opposition parties for repeated disruptions of both the Houses of Parliament and announced that the government would proceed with the legislative agenda without their participation.
Addressing a press conference here, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rijiju also did not rule out an early end of the Monsoon session, contending that the Congress and other opposition parties were not interested in allowing Parliament to function.
“Woh toh dekhte hai (Let us see it)… Opposition is not interested in allowing Parliament to function. The Opposition is interested only in headline management. They do not trust democratic institutions,” Rijiju said in response to a question on an early end to the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament.
The session began on June 21 and has witnessed disruptions for 14 days, barring a two-day discussion on Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam terror attack. It is scheduled to last till August 21.
The Lok Sabha passed four Bills — The National Sports Governance Bill, The National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, The Income-Tax (No 2) Bill and Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill — amid protests from the Opposition on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
The Rajya Sabha passed The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill and The Merchant Shipping Bill, and also returned the Manipur Appropriation Bill and The Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, which were already passed by the Lok Sabha.
“Every day, we will not allow the country’s and Parliament’s time to be wasted on one issue. Parliament cannot to be held to ransom anymore. Therefore, we will pass important Bills,” Rijiju said.
The minister said the government was keen to have a discussion on important Bills, but repeated disruptions by the Opposition were leading to adjournments of both Houses of Parliament.
“We have clearly stated that there should be meaningful and lengthy discussions on important Bills. Imagine, for the Sports Governance Bill and the Anti-Doping Bill, we have allocated two days in the Lok Sabha and two days in the Rajya Sabha. Yet, the opposition is creating a ruckus,” Rijiju said.
He said the opposition members were not interested in raising matters related to public interest and were only keen on protesting on one issue every day.
“You have raised an issue, do it for one day. What is the point in raising the same issue every day?” the minister said, referring to the Opposition’s protests on the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar.
Opposition parties have been demanding a rollback of the SIR of electoral rolls in Bihar ahead of the assembly elections this year.
The Opposition has been seeking a discussion on the issue in Parliament, a demand dismissed by the government, contending that the functioning of a constitutional authority cannot be discussed in the House.
“You raised the issue one day, let it be. What is the point in raising the same issue time and again and wasting the time of Parliament?” Rijiju said.
The minister claimed that some opposition members have said that they were helpless as their leader has been allowing deliberate disruption of Parliament.
“People have been elected to Parliament for public welfare, but if you are going to resort to disruptions every day, how will you serve the people?” Rijiju said.
The minister said the Opposition has no trust in the Supreme Court, the Election Commission or Parliament.
“They attack constitutional organisations. Why do they indulge in this drama every day?” he asked.
On the Opposition’s march to the Election Commission, Rijiju said the poll authority had called a 30-member delegation comprising two members from each party to meet them on the issue of electoral roll revision in Bihar.
“If they cannot decide on their leaders or representatives, why seek an appointment from the Election Commission? Now, Kharge says the entire opposition is VIP. Will all the 150 members of the Opposition go to the Chief Election Commissioner’s room for a meeting?” Rijiju asked.
The minister said he was making a last appeal to the Opposition, and the government will pass Bills without their participation.
“You participate in discussions. Don’t say later that you were not allowed to participate in the debate.
“You can put across your views, move amendments and give dissent notes. It is your right. You have come to Parliament,” Rijiju said.
