Leader of Opposition in the legislative Assembly Eknath Khadse raised the issue of several Bills pending with the President of India. Khadse pointed out that several Bills have been passed by the Maharashtra legislature and sent to the Union government and the President, but the assent to these Bills has been kept pending with the result that the law is not implemented in the state.
Even as members of the Opposition targeted the government, Speaker Dilip Walse-Patil directed the state government to inform the House about the status of Bills pending with the Union government and for presidential assent.
Referring to the ‘Moneylenders Bill’, which was finally issued in the form of an ordinance, Khadse said that the Bill has not received the presidential assent and the Centre has been raising queries on the Bill even as debt-ridden farmers continue to commit suicide.
Other Opposition leaders including Shiv Sena’s Subhash Desai and Bharatiya Janata Party’s Sudhir Mungatiwar pointed out that the Anti-Cow Slaughter Bill has been pending for presidential assent after it was passed in the legislature in 1995.
Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan admitted that several Bills, such as the Moneylenders Bill, were pending for presidential assent. Chavan pointed out that the state has been regularly pursuing these Bills, but some queries had been raised recently and the state had to issue an ordinance.
Chavan also told the House that the state had framed a ‘revolutionary’ Bill in the form of the Housing Regulatory Bill and stated that the Bill was pending with the Centre as the central government too had framed another housing regulatory law.
Later, the issue of minimal compensation paid to farmers affected by heavy rains in Vidarbha was raised by BJP MLA Devendra Phadnavis. He said that farmers received cheques of Rs60 and Rs65 only from the state as compensation.
To give justice to these farmers the issue must be discussed now by setting aside all the business of the House. He was supported by other members. The speaker tried to pacify angry legislators but his attempts failed. He then adjourned the proceedings for 30 minutes. However, even after the house resumed, the situation remained unchanged forcing the deputy speaker Vasant Purke to adjourn the House for the day.
Opposition demands two weeks extension
The opposition on Tuesday demanded that the ongoing session in Nagpur be extended by two weeks and to discuss issues and problems of Vidarbha.
BJP MLA Nana Patole, stated that the scheduled two week session was not adequate to discuss the problems of the region. He was supported by Congress MLAs Vijay Wadettiwar and Virendra Jagtap.
The parliamentary affairs minister, admitted that the opposition leaders had opposed the decision and lodged their protests, demanding an extension of the session by two weeks. He said that though the session may last for two weeks, the members from both the sides should utilise their time for raising the issues of Vidarbha.
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