The government on Wednesday introduced amid commotion a bill in the Rajya Sabha to guarantee job promotions in the government for SC/ST population even as BJP protests against the allocation of coal mines led to repeated adjournment of Parliament. The bill, approved by the cabinet on Tuesday, was introduced in the Upper House by minister of state in Prime Minister’s Office V Naryanasamy, amid vociferous protests by Samajwadi Party members.
In no time, Samajwadi member Naresh Agrawal and Avtar Singh Karimpuri of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which is all for the Bill, were locked in a scuffle.
Earlier, there was ruckus as deputy chairman PJ Kurien called the minister to table the bill.
Bharatiya Janata Party members meanwhile continued their protests demanding Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s resignation over the controversial coal blocks allocation.
Soon after the bill was introduced, the presiding officer adjourned the house till 2 pm.
Earlier, BJP protests forced the Lok Sabha to adjourn for the day even as Samajwadi Party members raised slogans inside the house against the promotions quota.
When the Lok Sabha, adjourned within minutes after it met at 11 am, resumed proceedings at noon, there were more disturbances, forcing acting speaker Girija Vyas to adjourn it again.
Not much business could be done in the house. But minister of state for finance Namo Narain Meena withdrew the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Amendment) Bill, 2009. Some papers were tabled amid din.
Later, Samajwadi leader Mulayam Singh Yadav said his party would hit the streets against the bill that guarantees promotions in government jobs to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe.
His party wants the quotas to be extended to Other Backward Classes.
Though the SP supports the UPA, he said the government did not consult him over the bill.
BSP chief Mayawati, meanwhile, blamed both the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) for delaying the passage of the promotions bill.
She told reporters outside parliament: “Both alliances have political motives. The Congress delayed it because of presidential elections. BJP is delaying it now because of political reasons.”
Mayawati said she asked BJP leader Sushma Swaraj to help pass the bill but the BJP and its allies did not heed the request.
What happened in RS
Rajya Sabha on Wednesday witnessed high drama as a scuffle broke out between SP and BSP members when the government introduced a contentious Constitution amendment bill to provide reservation in promotion to SCs and STs in government jobs.
The bill, which seeks to circumvent a Supreme Court order quashing such a decision of Uttar Pradesh government in April, seeks to bring certainty and clarity in the matter by substituting a clause of Article 16 of the Constitution.
The scuffle broke out as soon as deputy chairman PJ Kurien asked the government to move the Constitution (117th Amendment) Bill, 2012.
Members of SP, a party opposed to the bill, were on their feet and party MP Naresh Agrawal proceeded towards the well.
He was encountered by BSP member Avatar Singh Karimpuri, who grabbed the SP member by his collar to prevent him from trooping into the Well.
At this, other members from the BSP including Brajesh Pathak immediately intervened and held back Karimpuri.
Tempers ran high as the scuffle continued for a few minutes before Karimpuri was finally made to take his seat. Soon marshals were called in the House.
Amid the commotion, the bill was introduced by minister of state for personnel V Narayanasamy.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was present when the incident took place.
Six SP members including Ramgopal Yadav and Agrawal then rushed to the well shouting slogans saying reservations in promotion would not be allowed.
Soon after the bill was introduced, the presiding officer adjourned the house till 2 pm.
“I was not trying to tear up the promotion quota bill but just trying to protest against it,” Agrawal said outside Parliament House.
“I was prevented from speaking,” he said.
SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Wednesday said it will hold street protests against the UPA government introducing a bill to provide quotas in promotions in government jobs.
Yadav told reporters outside the Parliament House, soon after the bill was introduced in Rajya Sabha, that his party would oppose the draft law in its present form.
The party is demanding that quotas, as provided for scheduled castes and tribes in the present bill, also be provided to other backward castes.
“We will go to the people against the (promotions quota) bill,” said Mulayam Singh Yadav.
“No one will tolerate when a junior is made a senior and a senior is made a junior,” he added.
Lok Sabha too was adjourned for the day on Wednesday, within minutes of convening, following opposition protests over coal block allocations and promotion quotas, among other issues.
This is the 11th day of parliamentary proceedings were disrupted and question hour lost due to adjournments.
BJP members keeping up its chants demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the coal block allocations.
They were joined by the Samajwadi Party members, who shouted against the promotions quota in government jobs.
