The Winter Session of Parliament that saw a mix of storm and business came to a close on Tuesday after passing a number of legislations, but some key reform Bills, including those on insurance and coal block allocations, remained pending. The Government may now adopt the Ordinance route to push reforms in insurance and coal sectors as relevant Bills could not be taken up in the Rajya Sabha.
While the Rajya Sabha proceedings remained a complete washout for most of the time during the Session due to regular disruptions, the House passed Delhi-centric National Capital of Delhi laws (Special Provisions) Second Amendment Bill 2014 Bill on Tuesday. The Bill is likely to be a reprieve to dwellers of unauthorised tenements in poll-bound Delhi as the Bill will give them protection from demolition for three years beyond this year-end.
Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, while piloting the Bill, said lakhs of people in Delhi live in slums who cannot be evicted and hence the legislation is the need of the hour for the Capital, which is mini-India.
Naidu said the Government will now take steps towards regularisation of 1,200 plus unauthorised colonies in Delhi. An amendment moved in the Bill provides that unauthorised colonies which have come up till June 1, 2014 will be entitled for regularisation. The earlier cut-off date was February 8, 2007.
During the month-long Session, the lok Sabha passed a “record” number of 18 legislations, including amendment Bills on coal mines allocation and labour laws, in 22 sittings. The House lost almost three hours due to disruptions and adjournments.
The Rajya Sabha, which saw most of the turmoil mainly on the issue of conversions, passed 12 Bills during 22 sittings, while 62 hours were lost on account of disturbances over various issues. The House lost time on various issues which also included renaming of Rajiv Gandhi airport in Hyderabad, derogatory speech by a Union Minister and bringing back black money to the country. The Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill, which provides for fresh auction of 204 coal blocks de-allocated by the Supreme Court in September because of a scam, also remained pending.
Accusing the Opposition of stalling proceedings and obstructing crucial legislative business in the Rajya Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters that they had held national interest “captive” by their “short-sighted” political considerations. The Opposition and treasury benches, however, sank political differences to adopt resolutions condemning the terror attack in a Peshawar school and slamming the bail granted to Mumbai attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman lakhvi by a Pakistani court.
On the last day too, opposite sides in the Rajya Sabha joined hands to pass a Bill that will give relief to lakhs of dewellers in unauthorised constructions in Delhi facing threat of demolition.
Earlier in the day, Opposition members led by Samajwadi Party and JD(U) again disrupted proceedings in the Rajya Sabha accusing the Government of using police force to prevent workers from attending the Janata Parivar rally at Jantar Mantar and sought an apology from it. Members of SP and JD(U) stormed the well and started shouting slogans against the Government alleging atrocities on their workers. Amid raging row over conversion issue, the Opposition also targeted the Government in the Rajya Sabha and demanded a reply from the Prime Minister on the issue.
The Rajya Sabha also bid farewell to four members from Jammu & Kashmir, including leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, as they will be retiring in February next year. Jammu & Kashmir Congress chief Saif-ud-Din Soz and two members of National Conference Mohammad Shafi and GN Ratanpuri are the three other members who will retire.
While bidding them farewell, Chairman Hamid Ansari lauded their contribution and said the House would certainly miss members who would not be coming back. Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu expressed the hope that Azad would return to the House.