Naidu’s push for greater RS productivity hits a wall

Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 8

Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu’s push for greater sense of accountability on the part of members of the Upper House to generate quality debates and for handsome legislative output and salubrious parliamentary conduct hit a wall in the first week of the second leg of the current Budget Session with regard recent violence in Delhi.

The upshot of disruptions and forced adjournments due to feisty and obdurate Opposition pitching for taking up discussion on the violence as priority by suspending other business of the House was sub-par productivity of the House.

Naidu had assurance to allow the discussion when normalcy returned in Delhi was not acceptable to the opposition. The ruling BJP remaining unyielding on issues relating to the Delhi violence did not help matter either.

The battle lines in the House with regard discussion were deepened by apparent egos on opposition and BJP sides. The violence was obviously the spin-offs of the high-charges passions with regard Citizenship (Amendment) Act on both sides of the fence.

Rajya Sabha officials said the House sat only for two hours and 45 minutes as against the total scheduled time of 28 hours and 30 minutes.

A whopping 25 hours and 48 minutes was lost due to disruptions and forced adjournments. Consequently, productivity of the House was only 9.5 per cent. In effect, no substantial business could be transacted by the House.

The second leg of the Budget Session resumed last Monday after a three-week recess for consideration of Demands for Grants for 2020-21 of various ministries by the Department Related Standing Committees (DRSCs).

The disruptions in the form of sloganeering by the recalcitrant opposition members compelled Naidu to once rise and tell them: “I will not be forced.” He said this in the context of the opposition trying to force the discussion.

The silver lining though was due to intervention of the Naidu government and the Opposition displayed unity of purpose on the novel Coronavirus on the floor of the House.

Minister for Health Harsh Vardhan made a detailed statement on the steps taken to control the malady and the opposition rounding it by offering suggestions, with appreciation for the steps taken by the government in the matter.

25 hrs 48 mins lost due to disruptions

• Rajya Sabha officials said the House sat only for two hours and 45 minutes as against the total scheduled time of 28 hours and 30 minutes
• 25 hours and 48 minutes were lost due to disruptions and forced adjournments