Despite unrelenting Opposition protests over the Pegasus snooping dispute and other concerns, the government pushed through six laws in the Lok Sabha on Monday, three of which were passed, causing the Congress to call it “murder democracy.”
The Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill 2021, the Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2021, and the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill 2021 were all passed amid the din.
The three legislation were enacted in 10 minutes, according to RSP’s NK Premachandran, who compared it to “making dosas.”
The administration also submitted two more laws — the National Commission for Homoeopathy (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (Amendment) Bill, 2021 — amid the protests.
Congressmen Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Manish Tewari claimed that democracy is being “murdered” by the government’s legislative agenda being pushed through while the House is in disarray.
Opposition lawmakers abandoned the Well of the House and returned to their places when the third bill, The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2021, to reinstate the states’ power to list OBCs, was to be introduced.
When the House convened for the day in the morning, opposition members attempted to bring up a variety of problems, including the Pegasus virus controversy, and began chanting slogans, prompting the adjournment of the proceedings until 11.30 a.m.
Opposition members flocked the Well when Question Hour resumed at 11.30 a.m.
The Chair, Rajendra Agrawal, motioned for members to return to their seats. Mr Agrawal remarked, “Question Hour is a medium for discussing concerns; please join in this.”
As the opposition ignored his plea and continued their demonstrations, he adjourned the House till midday. Mr Agarwal, who was in the chair when the House reconvened at noon, permitted papers linked to various ministries to be tabled in the House.
He then requested Aayush Sarbananda Sonowal, the Union Minister for Homoeopathy, to introduce the National Commission for Homoeopathy (Amendment) Bill, 2021, as well as the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
The first bill proposes to alter the National Commission for Homoeopathy Act of 2020 to create a medical education system that enhances access to high-quality, low-cost education.
The other bill aims to remove the Indian Medicine Central Council Act of 1970 and make the Indian medical system more accessible throughout the country.
TMC member Saugata Roy stated that introducing the Homeopathy bill would be damaging to the practise of homoeopathy.
Mr Sonowal, on the other hand, supported the bills, claiming that they were vital to the country’s future.
Bills being introduced during opposition protests, according to Mr Tewari, is a violation of the Constitution.
Mr Agarwal permitted Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar to present The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2021 after the two bills moved by Mr Sonowal were admitted.
The bill aims to allow states and UTs the authority to create their own OBC lists.
Mr Chowdhury was outspoken in his objection to the move, claiming that the entire opposition had demanded a hearing on the alleged surveillance by Pegasus spyware, but that the administration had refused.
Arjun Meghwal, the Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, slammed it, saying the administration was open to discussing any matter. Agarwal postponed the House until 12.30 p.m. as protesters continued.
When the House reconvened, it passed the Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill 2021, which aims to help small cooperative banks and small depositors, as well as the Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2021, which aims to encourage the start-up ecosystem and boost ease of doing business.
Rajya Sabha had previously approved both proposals.
After a brief discussion despite opposition protests, the House passed The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill 2021, which seeks to change the list of Scheduled Tribes in Arunachal Pradesh.
Mr Chowdhury claimed that today is World Tribal Day and that his party wants to take part in the bill debate, but that the government has been “trying to suppress the voices of dissent through its brute majority” in the lower house. He said that the people of the country had been demonstrating against the government’s policies, and that the government was afraid of them. Mr Chowdhury accused the administration of being arrogant and vengeful.
Mr Chowdhury’s complaints, according to Mr Meghwal, are unfounded because the Modi government is committed to the welfare of tribals.
The opposition’s charges were also refuted by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, who stated that the Modi government wants a constructive, extensive, and profitable debate, but that the opposition was preventing the House from functioning properly.
The chair quickly adjourned the House till 2 p.m.
Members returned to the Well when the House reconvened at 2 p.m. to continue their protest.
The Chair, Rama Devi, requested that the members return to their seats so that discussion on COVID-19 could continue. However, the members refused. She then called a halt to the proceedings for the day.
Speaker Om Birla had earlier paid respect to those who had taken part in the Quit India Movement on behalf of the House. Members also observed a brief moment of silence in honour of those who took part in the movement.
The country is commemorating the 79th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s Quit India Movement, which began in 1942 and ended in 1947.
Mr Birla also praised the medal winners from India’s performance at the recently ended Olympic games in Tokyo.
When the name of Neeraj Chopra, the gold medalist in the javelin throw at the Olympics, was revealed, members thumped their desks.
