Barnala bails out govt
Bill for stringent steps against hoarders on Dec 9
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Dec 4 — The Vajpayee government came close to facing a trial of strength in the Lok Sabha today but an abrupt adjournment of the House, 15 minutes before lunch recess, by the Speaker, Mr G.M.C. Balayogi, saved the day for the government.

The entire Opposition, including the Congress and non-Congress parties, who were apparently in larger numbers than the ruling side, sprang a surprise on the BJP-led coalition when they pressed for a division on BJP member Shyam Bihari Mishra’s motion that the time for presentation of the joint committee report on the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 1998, be extended up to the last day of the winter session.

The House had to be adjourned twice again amidst noisy scenes with the Opposition sticking to their demand. The issue was finally resolved with the Speaker, Mr Balayogi, thrashing out the matter at an hour-long meeting with leaders of political parties in his chamber.

The government was bailed out of the embarrassing situation by the Union Food Minister, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, who announced that a comprehensive Bill on essential commodities providing stringent measures against hoarders would be introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 9. The Opposition, thereafter, did not press for voting, bringing relief to the treasury benches.

Mr Barnala recalled the unanimous decision at the Chief Ministers’ conference last week that the Act should be amended to include edible oils and vegetables under its purview.

He said the conference also decided to empower the state governments to take effective action against blackmarketeers and hoarders.

Earlier, when the Opposition insisted on voting, a rattled Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Madan Lal Khurana, sought to defer a decision on the issue. A determined Opposition, however, vociferously turned down the suggestion.

The Speaker at this juncture ruled that he would call a meeting of the leaders of political parties in his chamber to decide the issue. This was vehemently rejected by the Opposition.

Members of the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Left parties were on their feet demanding a vote on the motion. The Speaker tried to push through the motion by putting it to voice vote but the Opposition was in no mood to relent. It insisted that it was opposed to the extension of the House committee. Almost the entire Opposition demanded a division.

Congress member Rajesh Pilot said there was no point in giving an extension to the committee for presentation of the report and the amendment should be withdrawn.

He pointed out that the Union Food Minister had brought forward the amendment Bill in the last session which was strongly opposed by the Opposition and later sent to the joint committee.

The Congress Chief Whip, Mr P.J. Kurien, said since the motion was put to vote by the Chair, there was no other way out but to go in for division. Mr Kurien was supported by members of the RJD and the Left parties.

Former Speaker P.A. Sangma quoted the rule book to say that there was no other option but to go in for a division. Mr Khurana argued that the joint committee had been constituted by the Speaker who now wanted an extension. The Minister said he had written to the Speaker that no further extension be given to the committee. If the Speaker desired, the government was willing to withdraw the Bill, he added.

The BJP’s allies, including the Telegu Desam and the Shiv Sena, came to the government’s rescue and suggested that a decision be deferred at this stage. The suggestion drew loud protests from the Opposition.

The Congress and Left Front members trooped into the well of the House to demand a division. Realising that the Opposition was in no mood to yield, the Speaker abruptly adjourned the House.

On resumption of the session, the Opposition members again raised their demand for a division and prevented Mr K.Yerranaidu of the Telugu Desam, who was in the Chair, from taking up the next item on the agenda.

Mr Naidu sought to cool tempers by stating that the Speaker was discussing the matter with the leaders of the political parties and the House should be allowed to proceed with routine business.

An adamant Congress refused to heed and demanded a "division first". The House was then adjourned for the second time till 1415 hours.

Mr Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (RJD) said the ordinance to replace the Essential Commodities Act had already lapsed and as of now there was no law to check hoarding and black marketing in essential commodities. The extension of time sought by the government would only help the hoarders to continue to loot the people.

Mr Shiv Shankar (Cong) said certain provisions of the Essential Commodities Act were sought to be amended during the last session. When the Opposition then pointed that certain provisions were in fact diluting the original Act, the government decided to set up a joint committee. The Opposition was opposed to the constitution of the committee since it felt that it would delay matters. But now the government was seeking extension of time for the committee, he said.

The government was also grilled by the combined Opposition in the Lok Sabha yesterday during the five-hour inconclusive debate on price rise.

When there was no let up in the Opposition demand when the House met again after two adournments, Mr Yerranaidu said he was adjourning the House for half-an-hour by which time he hoped the problem to be resolved.