New Delhi: Narendra Modi government was left red-faced in Rajya Sabha on Monday when the Opposition managed to drop a crucial clause from the Constitutional Amendment Bill on the National Commission for Backward Classes just because most MPs from treasury benches were absent during the proceedings.
The dropping of Clause 3 under Opposition pressure has implications beyond the Bill. It not only reflects the will of the Opposition to fight back, despite the exit of JDU from their fold, but also shows how NDA MPs might be taking things for granted.
Ironically, Monday’s humiliation in Rajya Sabha came days after PM Modi’s personal intervention and instructions to MPs that they must attend parliamentary proceedings, barring medical urgency and important appointments.
According to sources, some sort of disciplinary action might be taken against the BJP MPs who were not present in Parliament on Monday. The sources said party chief Amit Shah had told absentee MPs that they should never forget that hundreds of politicians were denied tickets during elections and they should honour the public mandate.
Sources say both the PM and BJP president Amit Shah have not taken this too kindly and have asked for the names of the MPs who were absent, against whom a strict action is expected to be taken. This comes in the backdrop of Amit Shah having been elected to enter the RS.
From Day One, Modi government has faced the biggest challenge in Rajya Sabha and PM Modi and Amit Shah have worked tirelessly to improve their strength in the Upper House by winning a series of Assembly polls and entering new partnerships.
The latest boost to the government came when Nitish Kumar-led JDU joined the NDA.
On Monday, the Opposition moved amendments, which were passed by its 74 votes against the NDA’s 52. It was an unprecedented situation because the clause for which the amendment was passed by a simple majority cannot become part of a Constitution Amendment Bill. It requires a two-third majority of those present in the House. And the Chairman made it clear that these amendments cannot be undone.
Hence, for the Bill come into being, the House had to vote. This left the government with no choice but to say yes. The government did try to call its absentee MPs back, but couldn’t salvage the situation as the Opposition didn’t allow the lobbies to be opened.
The Opposition managed to make way for inclusion of a woman and a minority member in the commission. This development means the Bill will now have to go back to Lok Sabha to begin the process afresh.
This comes as a huge embarrassment for the government, which showed buoyant spirit with additional members likely to be added to its kitty with the inclusion of JDU(U).
The bill was crucial for BJP ahead of elections in Rajasthan , Gujarat and Madhya Paradesh and in the South as well. The BJP through this Bill hoped to project itself as the champion of backward castes and classes.
Putting forth itself as the champion of backward castes and classes might be the line that the BJP uses as damage control. Finance minister Arun Jaitley and parliamentary affairs minister Abbas Naqvi pointed out that the opposition didn’t care about the backward class.
“You will be punished for this mistake for years to come,” Naqvi said. Jaitley added that if the opposition wanted the OBC reservation to fall, then “so be it”
Will this damage control really work? Only time will tell. The opposition has already started smiling.
“For all this hype this BJP govt does, they didn’t issue a whip (forgot?) In RS to pass an OBC Constitutional Amendment Bill. And lost! Burnol?”, said TMC leader Derek O Brien.
P Chidambaram too joined in. “The government was totally unprepared and nonchalant. It did not even have full strength. A constitutional amendment is serious business. The government (was) not at all serious,” he said.
Comments
0 comment