AMIDST CHARGES of acting at the behest of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) from the Opposition, the amendment bill to scrap provision of two child norms for panchayat elections was today passed by voice vote in the State Assembly. The entire Opposition led by leader of Opposition Jamuna Devi walked out of House on the issue.
The Provision in Madhya Pradesh Panchayat Raj evam Gram Swaraj Act debarred those persons from contesting Panchayat elections who had three children or more after January 26, 2001.
The Industrial Dispute (Amendment) Bill and Madhya Pradesh Contingency Fund (Amendment) Bill were also passed with voice vote.
The Opposition members who included Jamuna Devi, Dr Govind Singh, Dr Suneelam, Sajjan Singh Verma, Ramnivas Rawat and certain others alleged the government was trying to implement Sangh agenda by amending the Panchayat Raj Act. It would give a boost to population increase in the State, they added.
Ministers Kailash Vijayvargia, Narottam Mishra and Chandrabhan Singh in unison raised objection to the Opposition’s remarks on the Sangh Sarsanghchalak in this regard.
The Opposition members said instead of scraping the provision, efforts should have been made for imposing similar provision on those contesting the elections for state assemblies and Parliament. The government employees and officials should also be brought under its purview.
When Industries Minister Babulal Gaur interrupted to say it was the Union Minister Manishankar Aiyer’s suggestion to scrap the provision on the ground of its being discriminatory and hence the Congress members should welcome it, the Congress’s Dr Govind Singh said if Aiyer said or did something wrong why they should accept it.
{{/usCountry}}When Industries Minister Babulal Gaur interrupted to say it was the Union Minister Manishankar Aiyer’s suggestion to scrap the provision on the ground of its being discriminatory and hence the Congress members should welcome it, the Congress’s Dr Govind Singh said if Aiyer said or did something wrong why they should accept it.
{{/usCountry}}Another Congress member Sajjan Singh Verma asked if the government was so subservient to Aiyer why it chose not to comply with the Central Government’s advice for curb in sales tax on petroleum prices.
With amendments in Contingency Fund Act would allow the contingency fund to be increased from Rs 40 crore to 100 crore. The amendments in the Industrial Dispute Act has been effected to raise the maximum age limit for the presiding officer of the labour courts/tribunals.
Now, the presiding officers could remain on the post or be appointed by 67 years of age. The age limit was 65 so far.