New Delhi: Parliament transacted legislative business in the third week of the monsoon session after a near-washout of the proceedings in the first two weeks, though sloganeering and protests by Opposition parties continued.
Discussions on price rise amid heated exchanges between the Opposition and treasury benches, the introduction of two bills, and the passage of four (while amid protests), the first Question Hour and Zero Hour of this session in the Rajya Sabha are among the few major high
New Delhi: Parliament transacted legislative business in the third week of the monsoon session after a near-washout of the proceedings in the first two weeks, though sloganeering and protests by Opposition parties continued.
Discussions on price rise amid heated exchanges between the Opposition and treasury benches, the introduction of two bills, and the passage of four (while amid protests), the first Question Hour and Zero Hour of this session in the Rajya Sabha are among the few major high points this week.
Debate on price rise, GST
Finance minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman addressed the burning issue of the price rise — Opposition parties have been demanding a discussion on this issue since the start of the session — in both the houses of Parliament, amid heated exchanges with several members of the Opposition parties for nearly 12 hours (close to seven hours in the Lok Sabha).
The FM said that the country’s economy is in a better position compared to the rest of the world in the aftermath of the pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia war. Hitting out at the Congress, the FM said that the Narendra Modi government’s performance in battling inflation has been superior to its predecessor’s.
While speaking in the Lok Sabha, the minister said that much of the contention by Opposition members was from the “political angle instead of being based on concerns backed by data”. “Therefore, my answer will also be political.”
But the Congress Members of Parliament (MPs), who were demanding a discussion, walked out of the Lok Sabha within 30 minutes of the FM’s reply, accusing the government of having no plan to arrest the problem.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi then tweeted:
In the Rajya Sabha, where the discussion was held on August 2, the discussion went on for over five hours amid a walkout by the Trinamool Congress leaders.
Bills introduced
Two Bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha this week.
The Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022: Amid the growing energy needs and a changing global climate landscape, the Centre has identified new areas to achieve higher levels of penetration of renewable energy by proposing certain amendments to Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2022: The Bill, which aims to convert the National Rail and Transportation University, deemed to be a university in Gujarat, into the autonomous central university, Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, was introduced by the Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan this week.
The Bill also seeks to expand the scope of the present Gati Shakti University from just the railways, to cover the entire transport sector “to support ambitious growth and modernisation in the field”. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 3.
Bills passed
Four bills were passed this week.
The Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022: This will amend the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005. The amendment seeks to prevent the financing of prohibited activities related to nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. Union external affairs minister S Jaishankar tabled it in the Rajya Sabha on July 19.
The Bill also proposes to empower the central government to freeze, seize or attach funds or financial assets or economic resources to prevent the financing of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) and to prohibit making available funds or resources for such activities.
The Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022:This allows the application of Indian laws to the country’s research stations in Antarctica. It will provide national measures to protect the Antarctic environment and associated ecosystems. The Bill will also give effect to the Antarctic Treaty, the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources and the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty.
The National Anti-Doping Bill, 2021: It prohibits athletes from engaging in doping, and if found violating the norms, sportspersons can be disqualified. The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha last year and was passed in the Rajya Sabha on August 3.
The Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021: The Bill, related to the conservation of endangered species, human-wildlife conflict, and the rights of forest dwellers, among others was passed in the Lok Sabha this week.
Bill withdrawn
The Union government withdrew the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019, which was referred to a joint parliamentary committee after lawmakers found many of its provisions contentious. Union minister for electronics and information technology Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha about the government’s decision citing work on a new “comprehensive framework” for cyberspace.
“[The] Personal Data Protection Bill has been withdrawn because the joint parliamentary committee recommended 81 amendments in a bill of 99 sections. Above that, it made 12 major recommendations,” said Vaishnaw.
Suspension of Congress MPs revoked
Days after 27 MPs of Opposition parties were suspended from both Houses of Parliament, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla revoked the suspension of four Congress MPs this week.
The four Congress MPs — Manickam Tagore, Ramya Haridas, Jothimani, and TN Prathapan — were suspended on July 25 for the entire session for carrying placards into the House and disrupting it.
Protests in Parliament
While Parliament transacted legislative business this week, the proceedings took place amid sloganeering and protest by Opposition leaders. The two Houses were adjourned several times through the week, following protests by Congress and other Opposition parties over the alleged misuse of the Enforcement Directorate by the government and price rise.
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