Our Correspondent / /
The Rajya Sabha is likely to function smoothly from Monday as all parties have agreed for passage of six important pending legislations in the remaining period of the Winter Session. These include Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill and Appropriation Bills . This was agreed at an all party meeting convened by Rajya Sabha Chairman Mohammed Hamid Ansari this afternoon to break the on-going logjam between treasury and opposition benches on several issues.
Talking to media after the meeting, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the parties also agreed to have discussion over the issues including price rise and recent flood in Tamil Nadu. He informed that the Chairman has accepted the motion against the conduct of Governor of Arunachal Pradesh following the political development in the state but the time and date for discussion is yet to be decided. Mr. Kurien said during the meeting Mr. Ansari expressed his anguish over disruption of House.
Replying to a question on taking action against unruly behaviour of MPs, Mr. Kurien said that the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha does not have power like the Lok Sabha Speaker to take tough action against the members. He said the Chairman can take such action only when the House will accept the motion in this regard. Saying the Mr. Ansari and he himself have tried to use all possible means to facilitate smooth functioning of the Rajaya Sabha, he added shouting slogans and trooping into the well are in violation of oath took by the members.
During all party meeting, however, no consensus emerged on GST bill. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told media that at the meeting Finance Minister Arun Jaitley appealed to the parties for ensuring passage of GST bill. He said despite consensus among the majority of parties, the main opposition Congress seems hesitant.
On the passage of bills amid din, the Minister said except for the Constitutional bills, the House should pass legislations even if opposition creates disturbance. Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad said as assured earlier, Congress will support the passage of some important Bills.