Points to posts not being filled in statutory commissions for SC, ST and OBC communities
Opposition parties raised several contentious issues in the Upper House, including vacancies in statutory commissions for minorities, Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) not being filled, leading to several disruptions.
As soon as the House assembled, Congress leader Digvijay Singh blamed the government for deliberately delaying discussion on his substantive motion on the role of the Governors of Manipur and Goa where the BJP, the minority party, was called to form the government against the tenets of democracy.
“The honorable Leader of the House is here. He has to respond and give us a time and a date. This is not acceptable. This House cannot be run on the whims and fancies or the convenience of the honorable minister,” Singh said.
As several members rose to support him, deputy chairman PJ Kurien managed to placate Singh, stating that the chairman has accepted his motion and will allot time after considering the state of business in the Council and in consultation with the Leader of the Council.
Soon thereafter, protests occurred after a Congress MP, Narendra Budania, raised the issue of the long-pending vacancies in these statutory panels during the Zero Hour and found unequivocal support from several parties, including the SP, BSP and JD(U).
Budania alleged that the constitutional authority of these commissions was being systematically wrecked by means of “a well thought-out strategy” which is “dangerous for our democracy”. He asked if the ruling BJP government was giving a subtle message about the fate of these commissions.
Responding, Minority Affairs Minister and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the commission is being reconstituted, with the inclusion of representatives of the Jain community, adding that the vacancies will be filled up soon.
Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis, Christians and Muslims are among the recognised minority communities.
Ahmed Patel of the Congress contested saying the chairman of the commission can be appointed and the Jain community can be included when the members are appointed.
Sitaram Yechury of the CPM said none of the four statutory commissions — National Commission for Scheduled Castes, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, National Commission for Backward Classes and National Commission for Minorities — were fully constituted.
“Is this the ‘minimum government, maximum governance’ that the BJP had promised when it came to power?” he asked.
Soon, the members of the SP, JD(U), BSP, Congress and Left parties trooped into the well, raising anti-government slogans and forcing Kurien to adjourn proceedings for 10 minutes initially.
The ruckus started again as soon as the House reassembled, despite Kurien pleading that the minister has given an assurance about making the appointments.
With no satisfactory reply coming from the government, the opposition kept stalling the proceedings leading to two more adjournments in the first half.
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