RS: Oppn accuses govt of rushing through key bills for political ‘gains’ ahead of Assembly polls

New Delhi, April 2 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Rajya Sabha witnessed sharp exchanges on Thursday as the government pushed key legislative business, triggering strong criticism from the Congress party that the ruling dispensation was prioritising political mileage over due parliamentary process ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

As the Upper House prepared to take up the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026 -- which seeks to grant legal status to Amaravati as the sole and permanent capital of Andhra Pradesh -- senior Congress leader and MP Jairam Ramesh raised objections.

Addressing the Chairman, Ramesh pointed out that no satisfactory reply had been given to his earlier query regarding the listed business of the House.

Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju responded by clarifying the schedule. He stated that the House would first take up the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, followed by the pending Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, that was passed by the Lok Sabha.

Rijiju further informed the House that the government might propose to adjourn the session briefly and then resume for a short sitting to discuss additional matters.

Jairam Ramesh strongly criticised the government’s approach. “The government has a single-minded objective of passing the Bills before the upcoming Assembly elections,” he said, alleging that the move was aimed at securing “political gains” by violating the spirit of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), which comes into effect in poll-bound states.

The Andhra Bill, already passed by the Lok Sabha on April 1 by voice vote, aims to provide statutory backing to Amaravati as the state’s only capital, ending uncertainty over the capital issue post the 2014 bifurcation.

The Jan Vishwas Bill seeks to decriminalise numerous minor offences across central laws to promote ease of doing business and ease of living.

Opposition members expressed concern over the rushed legislative calendar. Ramesh remarked that the government appeared determined to push through important bills without adequate deliberation, especially when several states, including Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and the UT of Puducherry, are heading for Assembly polls in April-May 2026.

Rijiju defended the government’s position, stating that the Andhra Bill was being taken up as an urgent matter and that the House functions according to rules and the situation, not political allegations.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Thursday sharply criticised the Central government for showing undue “urgency” in amending the Women’s Reservation Act (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), alleging that the move was a calculated attempt to take political credit before the ongoing Assembly elections.

While reaffirming that the Congress had originally introduced the women’s reservation bill and continues to support it in principle, Kharge said the current rush to amend the Constitutional Amendment Act -- passed 30 months ago -- appeared politically motivated. “The government has a single-minded objective of passing the Bills before the upcoming Assembly elections,” he remarked, questioning why the Centre was in such a “great hurry” when any delay would not affect the law’s implementation, which is scheduled for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

Kharge reiterated his demand for an all-party meeting to discuss the modalities and implementation framework of the women’s reservation law, but insisted that it should be held only after April 29, 2026, once the election campaigns in the poll-bound states conclude.

“We are all extremely busy with the election campaign. That is the reason why we had suggested that the meeting be held after the campaign is over,” he said.

He also recalled that during the debate on the bill in the Rajya Sabha on September 21, 2023, he himself had demanded its immediate implementation, but the government had not agreed at that time.

Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju responded by stating that the government had forwarded a “very simple proposal” for amendments and that no one, including Congress members, was opposing the substance of it.

“Why does Congress not come forward to meet or oppose a session? We have already met 80 per cent of political parties; the remaining parties will be met soon. Let’s not get into politics,” Rijiju said.

Kharge shot back, asserting, “We will meet after the Assembly elections are over. Do not take credit before the elections.”

Leader of Rajya Sabha J.P. Nadda asked to look at the passing of the Bill from the ‘Viksit Bharat’ angle rather than that of politics. He said, “PM Modi’s government has passed the bill in two days, which was stuck for 30 years without passing.”

He said the aim of the government was to bring women to 50 per cent of the House capacity.

Kharge said the government remembered the bill all of a sudden, after three months. He added that not everything will happen as per the BJP government's wishes in a democracy. He said the BJP MPs will listen only to PM Modi, not even to the Chairman of the House.

The exchange highlighted the growing tussle between the government and the opposition over the timing and process of finalising the implementation roadmap for the landmark 33 per cent women’s reservation in Parliament and State Assemblies.

The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, passed unanimously in 2023, is yet to be notified due to pending delimitation exercises linked to the next census. The government is reportedly exploring constitutional amendments to enable the quota to become effective from the 2029 general elections.

Source: IANS