When a senior leader of the ruling BJP expressed apprehension that the scene unfolded during the last three Sessions of the Assembly would continue to mar future Sessions as well, the belief was not uncalled for.
In total, the back to back abrupt end of the two Assembly sessions has wasted about 80 working hours, more than 1.5 crore rupees and over 2000 questions to be brought for answering. However, observers feel that the loss has not been less than any gain for both—the ruling coalition and the main Opposition party JMM.
“You see, the Government managed to clear Bills amending the CNT-SPT Acts without any discussion and debate along with at least two Supplementary Budgets and one annual Budget. Also, several other legislative tasks were conducted without any questioning or scrutiny. On the other, the JMM captured much of the stage by disrupting the House getting coverage in the media and among its target audience. In all, the only sufferer is the people at the cost of lowered dignity of the House,” said a legislator of the BJP requesting not to be quoted.The Budget Session like previous Winter Session had to end abruptly due to the stalemate between the Government and the JMM, mainly over the CNT-SPT Acts row.
Whereas the Government maintained that the demand of the main Opposition party to recall the amendment Bills and discuss the issue was untenable. “When we brought the Bills for discussion and passing during the Winter Session they created uproar in the House. When it got passed now they are saying that it should be brought back and discussed! This is just obstructive attitude with a vested interest,” said BJP’s chief whip Radha Krishna Kishore.
Regardless of the claims, other smaller factions in the House are of the sense that the Government and the Opposition have been playing a fixed match.
“This entire drama has been scripted by the BJP and the JMM. Both of them did not want to run the House from the beginning. We too are against the CNT-SPT amendments but the issue should be brought before the people now. Hoodwinking under the disruptions, the Government is managing to approve whole lot of its wrong decisions. All this is happening since the JMM and BJP are hand in gloves for overlooking the misdeeds of each other’s tenure,” alleged JVM leader of legislative body Pradeep Yadav.
The charges sound convincing when just after initial disruptions the House would got adjourned to meet in the second half but continued to pass the Demands for Grants despite similar scenes. On many occasions the Speaker allowed the discussion ignoring the chanting JMM members right from the well.
“Why this could not have happened during the first half when the House assembles to conduct most important business bestowed on itIJ I had even suggested the Speaker to martial them out for the sake of people,” said a legislator who is also member of the Business Advisory Committee.
The JMM, on the other hand, looked least worried during the entire washed out Session. Its suspended Members did not even express personal regret over their acts nor pleaded to not to repeat that in future.
“We are not going to compromise on the CNT-SPT issue which has turned the Acts into living corpus. The House is not above the people’s cause,” said JMM leader Hemant Soren, knowing fully well that the Government works are not going to fetch the party votes next time, instead keep burning the sentimental tenancy issues will.