The Monsoon session of Parliament, which witnessed three weeks of continued disruptions, concluded here on Friday.
Only four Bills were passed by both the Houses. The Rajya Sabha passed three Bills and the Lok Sabha passed six. Six Bills were introduced in Parliament and sent to standing committees.
The Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development Bill, the Chemical Weapons Convention (Amendment) Bill, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (Amendment) Bill and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences, Bangalore Bill are the Bills that have become Acts during this session.
Important legislations like the Whistleblowers’ Protection Bill, Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, the Prevention of Money Laundering (Amendment) Bill, and the Women’s Reservation Bill are still pending in Parliament.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the country loses Rs 2.5 lakh in a minute if Parliament is not allowed to function. He blamed the BJP for disrupting the proceedings, even when the Government was willing to discuss all issues, including the coal scam in Parliament.
PM for discussion
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the BJP’s act was negation of democracy. Talking to reporters, he said the issues raised in the CAG report are not being swept under the carpet. He said they will be discussed in Parliament as they should be.
“Whatever corrective action is necessary will be taken,” Singh added.
From House to streets
The BJP said it will extend its protests to the streets. The party said the House did not run because of corruption. The BJP urged the Centre to hold a probe by an independent authority, before which the Prime Minister can also depose, on the coal scam.
The party said it used the session “to shake the conscience of the people of India.” The Opposition said the Inter-Ministerial Group, which is looking into the allocation, was “just an eyewash.”
No Work No Pay
The CPI (M) said it favoured the system of “no work- no pay” for the MPs.
The party’s leader Sitaram Yechury said both the Government and the Opposition were hand-in-glove in disrupting the House proceedings. He welcomed the comment made by Chairman of Rajya Sabha Hamid Ansari that the Monsoon Session is likely to be remembered for the work that was not done.