Stating that the Rajya Sabha should play the role of a “check and balance” and not be “clogging and blocking”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday told the House that all members, including of his own party, should learn from the Nationalist Congress Party and the Biju Janata Dal, whose MPs follow the discipline of not rushing to the well.
Mr. Modi was speaking during a discussion on the “the role of the Rajya Sabha in Indian polity and the way forward” at the start of the 250th session.
He said the two parties had decided on their own not to jump into the well of the House.
“Despite following this rule the NCP and the BJD’s political progress has not stopped. That means that without jumping into the well, we can win the hearts of the people, the faith of the people,” the Prime Minister said.
Stating that the Rajya Sabha’s role was that of a check and balance, but there was a “difference between checking and clogging” and “balance and blocking”. Quoting former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Mr. Modi said the Rajya Sabha was “the second house, but no one should think of it as a secondary house”.
Mr. Modi said the Rajya Sabha represented the country’s diversity and the reflected the spirit of the federal structure. Speaking about the contribution of the Rajya Sabha, he said the house had passed important legislation on Goods and Services Tax, triple talaq and Article 370.
Speaking after Mr. Modi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the Rajya Sabha had a central role in providing “checks and balances to a majority government in the Lok Sabha, along with its other key role is to represent the interest of the states in our federal Union.”
Hitting out at the government, he said misuse of the money Bill provision by the executive had been observed recently, which had lead to the Rajya Sabha being bypassed on important legislations.
“Those in Treasury benches must ensure that such instances are avoided. It dilutes the stature and importance of our institutions, including the Rajya Sabha,” he said.
He said the Rajya Sabha should have a greater role in legislation with far-reaching consequences, like " redrawing the boundaries of states", in a reference to the Reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir Bill, 2019 that was passed in the last session.
Earlier, Rajya Sabha chairperson, vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu, kick-started the discussion by saying there was a need to introspect, while appreciating the Upper House’s contribution to the country.
“A week back, one committee appointed by the Parliament, a Standing Committee, led by Jairam Ramesh was able to complete its work and submit the first report. That is the positive side. One committee when its meeting was called, 25 of the 29 members were absent from the meeting which drew widespread criticism across the country,” he said, asking all parties to ensure better participation.
Meanwhile, addressing the media earlier on Monday, Mr. Modi said the government wants an open debate on all issues and hoped that the winter session of Parliament would be as productive as the first session of the 17th Lok Sabha.
“We want that every issue is discussed and debated in a free and frank way. It is essential to have high quality debates where everyone gets an opportunity to use their intellect and contribute to the the House,” Mr Modi told reporters at the parliament complex just before the session officially got underway.
"This is the 250th session of the Rajya Sabha. During this session on November 26, there is Constitution Day, when our Constitution completes 70 years. The Constitution inculcates the unity, integrity, diversity and beauty of the country and is a driving force for the country," he said.
