Rajya Sabha Passes the SC/ST Bill Without a Ruckus

After days of adjournments, the Rajya Sabha unanimously passed the crucial SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill. Two other bills on supplementary demands for 2015-16 were also passed within minutes without any debate.

The House returned to Lok Sabha – the Appropriation (No. 4) Bill and the Appropriation (No. 5) Bill – containing the second batch of supplementary demands as part of grants for 2015-16 to meet government’s expenditure.

As the House reassembled at 2 pm, the Opposition criticised the government’s move to bring the Juvenile Justice Bill through the supplementary agenda route. The Leader of Opposition, Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the ruling party itself was complicating the issue.

We have said that we want to pass the SC/ST Bill. At the all-party meeting, I had said that the Juvenile Justice Bill should be tabled, but it was not in the agenda today. However, because of media reports, the government has now put it in the supplementary business. It is only a ruse to shame the opposition in public by saying that we had presented (the bill) but the opposition had objected. This is being done only so that the media and public criticise us. Don’t use the House to play the media.

Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition

Azad said the matter can be taken up tomorrow and should be listed as the first in the business.

Following this, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien took up the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2015. This was passed unanimously through a voice vote without any discussion. Congress leader Hussain Dalwai did not move his motion for certain amendments after his party asked him not to do so.

There was thumping on the desk as the House passed the Bill. The two Appropriations Bills were also passed without any discussion.TMC leader Derek O’Brien stood up and told the Chair that it was important to mention that the Bills were passed unanimously and not in a din.

To this, a smiling Kurien said:

How can there be a din? There is perfect calm and tranquillity. Everybody is cool. A cool breeze is blowing. I don’t know where this breeze is coming from.