Naidu discusses house disruptions with leaders of parties.
New Delhi: In the backdrop of disruptions in Rajya Sabha on various issues, its Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu today urged members to act responsibly to ensure smooth proceedings and assured them that whatever decision he takes would be to enhance the image of the House.
During a meeting with members of various parties on functioning of the House, the Triple Talaq Bill was also discussed and the chairman asked both the opposition and the treasury benches to sort out the issue between them, sources said.
Naidu asked the parties to introspect if it is appropriate to cause frequent disruptions and adjournments of the House in order to press their political agenda.
The Rajya Sabha has seen disruptions on a number of issues in the winter session including on Triple Talaq Bill and caste violence in Maharashtra.
The sources said some members have also complained to the chairman that smaller parties are deprived of their chance to raise matters of public importance in the Upper House as the main parties try to push their agenda and cause disruption.
Naidu, the sources said, has waived the time limit for moving a proposed amendment by Congress leader Anand Sharma on the Triple Talaq Bill.
"Whatever decision I take will be guided by the aim to enhance the image of the House," he told the members, the sources said, adding that he urged the MPs to also follow this principle.
The business advisory committee had fixed a time limit of four hours for the debate on the Triple Talaq Bill, but members wanted more time and the chairman said he was open to the idea, the sources said.
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5 schoolchildren among 7 killed in blast in southwest Pakistan
Islamabad (PTI): At least seven people, including five schoolchildren and a policeman, were killed on Friday in a remote-controlled blast in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, according to media reports.
The blast occurred at 8.35 am near a school at the Civil Hospital Chowk of the Mastung district of the province, Dawn newspaper reported.
“It appears that an IED (improvised explosive device) attached to a motorcycle was detonated near a police mobile,” Kalat Division Commissioner Naeem Bazai was quoted as saying in the report.
“So far, seven individuals have been killed, including five school students,” Bazai said. At least 22 people were injured in the attack.
Most of those injured were schoolchildren, Geo News reported, adding that they were shifted to a nearby hospital.
A police van and several auto-rickshaws were damaged in the explosion, according to the report.
An emergency was declared across all Quetta hospitals after the blast, the report said quoting the provincial health department spokesperson, adding that all doctors, pharmacists, staff nurses and other medical staff were summoned.
