RS remains disrupted over vacancies in commissions

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 28

Proceedings of the Rajya Sabha were disrupted again today amid relentless protests by Opposition members over vacancies in commissions for SCs, STs, backward classes and minorities. Government attempts to reason out with protesting members that the process for filling vacancies was underway failed to impress leaders of the Congress, Samajwadi Party, JD-U and the BSP, who kept demanding a commitment to resolve it in a week.

According to Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, the delay in appointments was largely because of the enforcement of the model code of conduct in five states that polled recently. Reminding the Congress leaders of occasions when the posts in these commissions had remained vacant for months altogether, Gehlot said the process of filling the vacancies had started and the Chairmen for the SC Commission and the Safai Karamchari Ayog appointed.

Lashing out at the Opposition, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said commissions were functioning well and the process of filling vacancies was on. Quoting precedents of vacancies in commissions while the Congress was in power, he accused the Opposition of leading a misinformation campaign.

The government is bringing amendments to the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992, to include a Jain member, Naidu said on the day the House saw Opposition demanding an immediate discussion on the issue.

Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said: “Never has it happened in the country that all three commissions are headless and these are without members, too. The SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities account for 80 to 85 per cent of the total population and various commissions implement schemes for their welfare and uplift.

If commissions are not formed for welfare of 85 per cent population, then who is the government representing? The leadership of the ruling party, both at the level of states and the Centre, is not interested in uplift of SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities. This shows how much the BJP government cares for these classes.”

‘Never haVE panels been headless before’

Never has it happened in the country that all three commissions are headless and these are without members, too. The SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities account for 80 to 85 per cent of the total population and various commissions implement schemes for their welfare and uplift... This shows how much the BJP government cares for these classes. — Ghulam Nabi Azad, leader of opposition

Panel for socially, educationally backward

The government will bring the legislation for setting up the National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (NCSBC) in this session of Parliament, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said. It will have a chairperson, a vice-chairperson and three other members with similar powers as the National Commission for Scheduled Castes