Rajya Sabha Sat for Less Than 3 Hours Last Week Amid Protests

New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha sat for just below three hours in the first week of the second half of the budget session, according to officials.

The Upper House failed to transact any substantial business due to Opposition demands for a discussion on the communal violence in northeast Delhi last month.

The House lost around 26 hours of the scheduled 28:30 hours due to disruptions, as it witnessed uproarious scenes by protesting Opposition members demanding a debate on the violence.

The second part of the current budget session resumed last Monday after a three-week recess for consideration of demands for grants for 2020-21 of various ministries by the department-related standing committees (DRSCs).

During the first week, the Rajya Sabha could sit only for 2 hours and 42 minutes as against the total scheduled time of 28 hours and 30 minutes. The House lost 25 hours and 48 minutes due to disruptions and forced adjournments, leading to productivity of only 9.50 per cent, officials said.

Besides, over 50 per cent of the MPs remained absent during discussions on the demands for grants at the meetings of standing committees.

According to sources, 57 per cent of TMC MPs, 36 per cent of BJP MPs, 15 per cent from Congress and 50 per cent from other parties did not attend any meeting of the eight committees of the Rajya Sabha on demands for grants.

These meetings were held between February 12 and March 1, the recess of the two-phase budget session of Parliament.

In Rajya Sabha last week, there was a statement by Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on the novel coronavirus, and Naidu's observations about International Women's Day, among others. Nineteen members spoke, and there were six zero hour submissions and one special mention.

During the meeting of leaders ahead of the start of the Budget session last month, Chairman Naidu desired the DRSCs to submit reports on demands for grants well ahead of consideration and passing of the budget for 2020-21.

Accordingly, the committees of the Rajya Sabha presented their reports to the Parliament in time, unlike in the past. The committee on commerce will present its report next week.

Naidu appealed to the treasury and Opposition benches to talk to each other to enable proper functioning of the House.