Lok Sabha may take up hot topic for discussion today
As India remains in the grip of a raging debate over rising intolerance, the Lok Sabha will on Monday discuss the controversial issue that has been grabbing headlines and is at the centre of the country’s political discourse.
An action-packed day can be expected in the lower house as a discussion on “the situation arising out of incidents of intolerance in the country” is scheduled on Monday. The notice for discussion on this issue had been moved by CPI(M)’s P Karunakaran and Congress MP KC Venugopal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi won’t be present during the discussion in the Lok Sabha as he is in Paris for the climate change conference. However, the PM will be back in Delhi when the Rajya Sabha takes up the discussion on Tuesday as he is scheduled to leave Paris Monday night.
The debate on intolerance comes two days after the Prime Minister met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former PM Manmohan Singh at his Race Course Road residence to discuss the contentious GST bill.
Parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters in Vizag on Sunday that the government was ready to discuss the issue of intolerance in the ongoing session provided the Opposition allowed the House to function. He alleged that the Opposition and some “pseudo-intellectuals” were exaggerating stray incidents that had occurred in states being ruled by “the Congress and their friends” to tarnish India’s image.
“The BJP government is ready to discuss the issue of intolerance if Opposition shows tolerance and allows the House to function,” Naidu said.
This week, the government proposes to take up three bills in the Rajya Sabha, including Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, the Whistle Blower Protection (Amendment) Bill and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill.
The Bills for consideration and passage in the Lok Sabha, include the Bureau of Indian Standards Bill, the Carriage by Air (Amendment) Bill, the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, and the Factories (Amendment) Bill.