Sonbhadra, Karnataka row echo in Upper House

Chairman Naidu on Monday allowed a Short Notice Question after a long gap of over four years. Congress MP Motilal Vora’s question about incidents of toddlers falling into unattended borewells during the last three years, action taken against agencies concerned etc was deemed asked and the reply tabled. Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Shekhawat replied that a total of 43 children died after falling in borewells during 2014 and 2015. The number includes 34 children below 14 years and nine between 14 and 18 years of age.

The last such Short Notice Question was raised by Mansukh L Mandaviya, now a minister, on March 19, 2015. It was about demand supply gap in terms of skilled manpower.

As soon as the House resumed at 2 pm, the Deputy Chairman asked the Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai to move The Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019, for passage in the House.

Opposition members soon trooped into the Well and started raising slogans, highlighting various issues.

Deputy Chairman Harivansh told members that the Chairman has already given a ruling on the political crisis in Karnataka and that the issue cannot be discussed here as the matter is sub-judice.

Raising a point of order under Rule 95, TMC leader Derek O’Brien said members did not get sufficient time to submit amendments to the Bill as the draft law was passed by Lok Sabha last week and sent to the House on Friday evening.

The Deputy Chairman said members had time till noon to file their amendments to the Bill.

BJP’s Bhupender Yadav said the Chairman has power to allow amendments of members.

Raising a point of order, Congress leader Anand Sharma said members should get at least two days notice to file their amendments, alleging that the members’ right to move amendments is being violated in the absence of legislative scrutiny by parliamentary panels.

Raising point of order, DMK member Tiruchi Siva said members, who wanted to move amendments, asked the Chair to bring the House in order, “but you presumed that they did not move amendments”.

The Deputy Chairman expressed dismay over members throwing pieces of papers on him and other officials sitting below him.

Derek O’Brien blamed the Chair for not conducting the business in a congenial environment.

Amid the din, the Deputy Chairman adjourned the House till 3 pm.