Venkaiah Naidu starts his innings as chairman, BJP chief debuts in RS

NEWDELHI: It was an eventful first day for Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu in the Rajya Sabha. From reading 10 obituary references to handling fierce protests and adjourning the House twice, Naidu had a packed Friday.

He sought to bring in minor changes in the conduct of proceedings, suggesting to ministers that they could do away with some colonial practices while laying papers on the table.

After several ministers lay the papers on the table, Naidu said there was no need for them to say “I beg to lay” but “I rise to lay on the table...” would suffice. “Just say I rise to lay on the table...no need to beg, this is independent India,” he suggested.

While Naidu was elected during the monsoon session, the winter session effectively marks the beginning of his new innings in the Rajya Sabha.

He also peppered the proceedings with his witty one-liners. When a member rose to make a Point of Order, Naidu asked him to sit down, saying “there was neither point nor order”.

When several Congress and SP members trooped into the well of the House, protesting the disqualification of Sharad Yadav as a Member of Parliament, Naidu said when “all are in the well all is not well”.

At a meeting with different party leaders on Friday, the new chairman was praised for his remarks that the government should listen to the Opposition.

BJP president Amit Shah too made his maiden appearance in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, four months after he was elected to the Parliament’s Upper House. The 53-year-old BJP chief arrived minutes before proceedings began on the opening day of the winter session.

Shah was seated right next to the two-seat bench reserved for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and finance minister Arun Jaitley. He received a rapturous welcome as members of the treasury benches rose to greet him. The BJP president acknowledged the greetings with folded hands.