The Rajya Sabha was adjourned on Tuesday over the non-tabling of the Ranganath Mishra commission report on reservations for minority communities.
A copy of the report is with DNA, which it published last week. Rajya Sabha MPs demanded to know why they were not privy to the report when it was clearly in the media’s possession. Peace returned to the House only when Union minority affairs minister Salman Khurshid assured it that the report would be tabled soon.
The trouble began during zero hour as Ali Anwar Ansari and Sabir Ali of the Janata Dal-United (JD-U), and Aziz Pasha and P Madhu of the Communist Party of India (CPI) went near the chairperson’s podium demanding the report be tabled in the House.
When other opposition members joined the JD-U and CPI MPs, deputy chairperson Rehman Khan said: “Unless it (the report) is under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, I cannot direct the government to table the report. At this stage, I can’t say if it is under the act. Give notice and the government will consider it.”
A 15-minute adjournment followed, after which Khan said: “The matter is under the consideration of the government and we will bring it before parliament.”
Not satisfied, the JD-U and CPI MPs again went near the podium, forcing Khan to adjourn the House at 12.15 pm. Order was restored only when Khurshid walked in at 12.35 pm and made his statement.
The Mishra commission report specifically advocates up to 15% reservation for minorities in government jobs. Ten per cent of this quota is for Muslims.
Comments