BENGALURU: The 10-day state legislative session, being held under the shadow of Covid-19, will start from Monday.
While it is expected to be stormy with the opposition all set to take the government to task over many issues, including the ordinances, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister JC Madhu Swamy told The New Indian Express that the government is fully prepared to defend its decision in the Assembly. Here are the excerpts from an interview.
The session is being conducted when Covid cases are surging. What precautions are being taken?
We have taken a number of measures. All ministers and MLAs have to get the Covid test done 72 hours prior to the session and come with the test report.
Appropriate changes have been made in seating arrangements to ensure safe distancing between members inside the House, and also, transparent sheets have been placed between seats.
Face masks and shields are being distributed and all the members have to wear them while entering the House. We are also conducting RT-PCR tests for members, officials and media at Vidhana Soudha.
To ensure that there is no crowding inside, only one officer can come with the minister and only secretary-level officers will be present in the House. We have also decided on the ministers who will be present in the Assembly and Council.
Given the concerns over a number of elected representatives testing positive, will the session go on for 10 days?
We have to conduct the session because a lot of bills are pending. Most of them are Ordinance Replacement Bills that have to be passed on the floor of the House within six months or they will expire.
The decision on the duration and other aspects of the session depends on the outcome of the Business Advisory Committee meeting on Monday.
However, there will be some issues as many MLAs are testing positive. It may not be a full-fledged session, but we are bound constitutionally to
conduct it.
Some opposition leaders are also demanding the extension of session to discuss important issues and bills.
It all depends on the Business Advisory Committee meeting. Leaders from all parties will sit together and decide on all these aspects on Monday.
The government has come under fire from opposition parties and farmer organisations for amending the Land Reforms Act. How is the government planning to defend its position?
We are clear that we have not done anything wrong by amending the Act. We have a wonderful case to defend and we will do it on the floor of the House.
In the Assembly, we will explain all the aspects and give reasons for taking the decision. We are not biased and it is a conscious decision taken in the interest of agriculture community and the state.
From day one, I have been asking them (opposition) one question: When you have not prohibited the sale, why are you restricting the purchaser? As an agriculturalist living in a rural area, I am exposed to all these experiences.
People have not stopped selling lands. But by ensuring that there is no competition, vested interests are purchasing the land (at lower prices). We have not prevented any sale of agriculture properties. It was the Congress that had given exemption to buy land. We will certainly defend our decision.
What about the APMC Act amendment and other issues that the opposition is planning to take up in the House?
We have discussed at length before enacting all the legislation. We will defend our decisions
How to you respond to speculation over leadership change in the state?
It is all just speculation and there is no truth in it.