LS, RS adjourn, Bills passed
New Delhi: Both the Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die
after passing the Constitution Amendment Bill on OBC quota, privatisation of state-run general insurance firms, National Commission for Homoeopathy (Amendment)
Bill, and the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine
(Amendment) Bill.
Both the Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die on Wednesday after passing the crucial Constitution Amendment Bill that relates to OBC quota.
The Constitution 127th Amendment Bill, 2021, that was passed by Lok Sabha on Tuesday unanimously was on Wednesday cleared by the Upper House before the Houses were adjourned two days before the scheduled date.
The Lok Sabha hardly functioned during the monsoon session. On Wednesday too it witnessed disruptions as it was adjourned indefinitely with Prime Minister Narendra Modi sitting in the House.
The Rajya Sabha saw constant adjournments over the Opposition’s demand to discuss the Pegasus spyware issue. Before the final adjournment Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed The Constitution 127th Amendment Bill, 2021. Dr. Virendra Kumar, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, thanked all members for the consensus shown in discussing the Bill.
“It is a history-making Bill,” he said. The Bill gives back power to states to identify social and economic backward classes.
Mallikarjun Kharge Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said, “The reservation cap should be removed, which is now 50 per cent, as if it not removed then the purpose of the Bill is defeated because the states should get to power to increase the reservation.”
Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi and RJD MP Dr Manoj Kumar Jha demanded for caste census in the country to ascertain the number of OBC.
The Opposition got a harsh reply from the government with Sushil Modi of BJP claiming that the whole OBC reservation came into existence due to the efforts of the BJP.
SP Leader Ram Gopal Yadav said the UP government
is planning to remove Yadavas, Kurmis and Gurjars from the OBC list.
Mr Tiruchi Siva of the DMK said that Tamil Nadu, with its 69% reservation, leads in empowerment and social justice.
Supporting the Bill, he added, the government was compelled to introduce the Bill as 671 OCBC committees were being affected.
“This was done under compulsion. Federalism is not a suitable word for you (government). For you, all is unitary- one language, one religion, etc. But federalism is the core feature of the country.”
He said, “Caste Census should be immediately conducted and the 50% cap on reservation should be done away with. ”
Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Mr. Veerendra Kumar replied after the discussion.
He said he is very happy the despite differences in parties and ideologies, everyone has supported the Bill. He added that the government is committed to social justice. The Bill was needed after Supreme Court struck down the Maratha reservation. The Bill was passed unanimously after division
Meanwhile, taking note of a complaint filed by Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT Shashi Tharoor, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is learnt to have met the secretaries of the home, information technology and telecom ministries, sources said.