In the first 10 days of the monsoon session, 12 Bills were passed spending seven minutes on an average on each bill.
All the Bills were passed amid din, with neither the comments from the Minister or clarifications sought by members audible to others. All the Bills were passed by voice vote. The Opposition has said division asked by them on important bills have been ignored by the chair in both Houses of Parliament.
A tweet detailing the speed of passing these Bills by TMC leader Derek O’Brien has created a huge furore. The BJP has demanded an apology from him. Mr. O’Brien gave a detailed chart of the Bills passed up to July 30. He said, “In the first 10 days, Modi-Shah rushed through and passed 12 Bills at an average time of UNDER SEVEN MINUTES per Bill. Passing legislation or making papri chaat!”
Even on Tuesday the Bills were hurried through. In the Lok Sabha, The Essential Defence Services Bill, BSP MP Danish Ali said, was passed in less than 10 minutes. “What is painful is that they are passing Bills which have wider implications without pausing to hear the objections,” Mr. Ali said.
Also read: Lok Sabha passes two key bills without debate
TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar similarly pointed out that the Opposition demand on The Tribunal Reforms Bill, 2021 was ignored.
Deputy leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said the government is treating Parliament like a Cabinet meeting of PM Narendra Modi. “The BJP should not mistake Parliament for a Cabinet meeting of this government. When they are not allowing the Opposition to speak on the Bill they are not allowing 60% of the voters who voted for these parties,” Mr. Gogoi said.
Shiv Sena’s Arvind Sawant said by denying discussions on the Bills, the government is violating the Constitutional right of the members. “Bills are being passed without any discussion. And to hold discussion the House has to be brought in order. And that order can come only if there is discussion on Pegasus,” he said. Mr. Sawant said the BJP disrupted the Houses similarly on 2-G and coal issues.
Also read: Amid din, Rajya Sabha passes Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi tweeted, “Glaring Irony. Derek O’Brien accuses govt. of rushing Bills & fails to note, TMC & Congress are continuously disrupting Parliament. 13 Bills passed without discussion in 1 day in Rajasthan. 16 Bills passed without discussion in RS during UPA’s regime. Selective Amnesia?"
Mr. Naqvi in the Rajya Sabha sought an apology from Mr. O’Brien for his comparison with legislative business with “Papri Chaat”. Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, “Not seven minutes, we are ready for a 17 hour discussion. But the Opposition does not believe in discussion, it only believes in disruption,” he said.
