A Catch-22 situation emerged before the Government on Thursday in the House when most of the legislators, including the BJP members opposed the legislation meant to safeguard public and private properties during agitations.
As soon as the Bill was introduced in the House, which could meet only post-lunch after fiery morning spells, it brought the members on their feet opposing it tooth and nail.
Jharkhand Prevention of Destruction and Damage to Property Bill, 2016 was meant to protect properties of various natures often caused during protests, dharnas and bandh called during political or other agitations.
“There are already provisions to deal with such incidents under the Sections of the CrPC and IPC. We all live public life where we have to resort to agitations etc. My fear is that the stringent provisions under the Bill could be fatally misused. I request that it be sent to the Select Committee for proper discussion,” said BJP chief whip Radha Krishna Kishore in the House on Thursday.
Similar objections were also from BJP’s Gumla MlA Shivshankar Oraon who even demanded to recall the legislation. “Protests and dharnas are part and parcel of political live and a stated right in a democracy. We are now a ruling party but may also go to the Opposition some time. Chances are high that the provisions would be misused to suppress democratic rights. I request the Government to take it back,” said the MlA.
Other BJP members, including Raj Sinha of Dhanbad and Dhullu Mahto from Baghmara tried to remind student days and times under the Emergency to the Government when several such agitations had taken place.
Expectedly, the Opposition thumped desks on the demands and sentiments expressed by the treasury benches, and also tried to give a different colour to it.
“You know well that several anti-people decisions have been taken in recent times. People of the State are bound to take to the streets. Decisions have been taken from backdoor. The Bill is meant to deal with it and totally irrelevant at this point of time,” said leader of Opposition Hemant Soren questioning the very intention of the Government.
The JMM leader even went on dismissing the idea to send the Bill to the Select Committee while terming it meaningless and, instead, called for scrapping it altogether. His party colleague Stephen Marandi and JVM member Pradeep Yadav also vociferously opposed any move to pass the Bill with existing provisions. This, however, brought him face to face with Kishore who equated Soren’s remark akin of demeaning the Assembly itself.
The all round drubbing forced the Government to respond who first tried to defend the provisions before falling in line. “You people are saying that atrocities would take place after it becomes a law. But atrocities have taken place before as well on the agitators,” said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saryu Roy. Neelkant Singh Munda added that there were instances when things had gone out of control for the police and thus some “strictness” was required.
When the logic could not pacify the members, Chief Minister Raghubar Das intervened.
“I have been a man of agitations and movements. But it is equally important that governance is infused properly. Governance is not run by sentiments. Every act has its side effect. But since there are widespread sentiments in the House, the Bill can be sent to the Select Committee for elaborate examination,” said the CM. Soon, Speaker Dinesh Oraon referred it to the Select Committee to present its recommendations within two months.
Barring this, Jharkhand Finance Bill, Jharkhand Buildings (lease, Rent and Eviction) Control (amendment) Bill, Jharkhand Municipal (amendment) Bill and State Commission for Backward Class (amendment) Bill got passed by voice vote.