Opposition fails to do its part in Parliament

Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die on Friday morning, a week ahead of the schedule. Though, it was expected that the business in the House would be 'as usual' – nothing much – the business that transpired this time made it much more disappointing.

The Winter Session of Parliament, which started on December 7, was to otherwise end on December 29. However, a decision was taken in the Business Advisory Committee – chaired by the Speaker of Lok Sabha and comprising representatives of the government and various parties – to curtail the session. Could not the House have taken up more important business? Are there no pressing issues that demand our learned Parliamentarians attention? The issue here is not about holding a session while the threat of Covid looms large. It is important that the Parliament too expresses its concern over the same. Whether the House could have taken up pressing matters effectively before adjournment is to be debated.

Adjourning Rajya Sabha, its Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar talked about the importance of taking necessary precautions to prevent Covid-19 spread. He thanked the members for their cooperation to organise the millets festival in Parliament. Meanwhile, Lok Sabha held 13 sittings, totalling 62 hours and 42 minutes, and recorded a productivity of 97 per cent. The winter session saw heated debates over China's transgressions in Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, with the Opposition taking on the Centre over the lack of a discussion on the matter. It is a national concern, the Opposition said and even the Congress tried to pin down the government on what it felt was a meek reply by the government.

The conduct of the Congress members only brought ignominy to the House itself. Mallikharjuna Kharge might have felt that he was resorting to some heroics in attacking the BJP with his 'kutha' slur, but he should know that he was stooping to the lowest in trying to please his bosses. Secondly, the Congress should know that it has no moral right to talk of national concerns with its preposterous comments on the Indian Army. Its blind rage at being relegated to the shadows by the BJP in the last two elections has turned it the most irrational party. Neither its first family members nor other senior leaders speak sense on any subject. In addition, whenever the issue of its links to Chinese funds crops up, it tries to deflect the national attention through bizarre comments. Kharge's charge should only be read in this background. He even refused to meet the Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, Piyush Goyal, to sort out the differences with the ruling party to pave the way for the smooth conduct of the House.

The Opposition spent more time on forcing adjournments in the House than allowing the House to do some fruitful business. 'The session also saw amendments to the Constitution Scheduled Tribes (Order), 1950, being passed, among others. Some of the other Bills that were passed are the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021, the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022, and the Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill, 2019.