Goel meets Manmohan, seeks cooperation for Parliament's running
New Delhi, June 28: Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel on Thursday called on former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and sought his party Congress' cooperation in smooth functioning of Parliament in the coming monsoon session beginning July 18.
He told Manmohan Singh that 68 bills are pending in the Lok Sabha and 40 in the Rajya Sabha, thus making it imperative for all political parties to cooperate in passing these important bills the 18-day monsoon session.
Goel, who will also be meeting a number of leaders from opposition parties as a part of this effort in the days to come, said that the government was ready to discuss "any issue" on the floor of the House and urged all political parties to extend their support for smooth running of the Parliament.
After the meeting, he told reporters that Manmohan Singh welcomed the initiative of reaching out to various opposition leaders and members for running the House and noted that it was the responsibility of both the ruling and opposition parties to let both the Houses work smoothly.
The last Budget session was a complete wash-out. The productivity of Rajya Sabha was only 8 per cent while that of Lok Sabha was only 4 per cent.
"For this upcoming session, accusations and counter-accusations need to give way to cooperation in letting the Parliament function constructively," Goel said after the meeting.
He added that important pending Bills such as the Muslim Marriage (Protection of Marriage Rights) Bill, 2017; the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2017, the Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill, 2017; and the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013 need to be passed during the session "in the larger interest of the nation".
Goel also expressed hope that the election of a new Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha will be held in the House with consensus.
The government also needs to pass bills on six Ordinances -- the Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, 2018; the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018; the Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018; the Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018; the National Sports University Ordinance, 2018; and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018.
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Surjewala slams Pratap Simha’s ‘vile’ remarks on CM Siddaramaiah, demands apology from BJP
Bengaluru (PTI): Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the BJP over alleged disparaging remarks made by former Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during an assembly bypoll campaign in Bagalkote.
Simha made the remarks while campaigning for BJP candidate Veerabhadrayya Charantimath, triggering a political row ahead of the by-elections scheduled for April 9.
Congress has fielded Umesh Meti, son of former MLA late M Y Meti, whose death necessitated the bye-election.
"Pratap Simha's vile remarks about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bagalkot have exposed the BJP's despicable politics once again," Surjewala said in a social media post.
Alleging a larger political design, he added, "It is increasingly evident that Pratap Simha’s outburst is driven by desperation," and accused the BJP of using such remarks to target backward classes, Scheduled Castes, and minorities.
The Rajya Sabha member further claimed that the incident reflects a pattern within the party. "This is not one man's madness—it is the BJP’s political culture," he said, adding that the remarks were aimed at "denigrating leaders from marginalised communities".
Referring to past incidents, Surjewala said, "CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar have received death threats in the past, including one from BJP leaders who warned that their bodies would be stuffed into a refrigerator."
The Congress leader also criticised the BJP’s bypoll campaign strategy, alleging "internal contradictions".
He pointed to the party’s use of expelled MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal in campaigning despite earlier disciplinary action against him, accusing the BJP of resorting to "abuses and indignities" against opposition leaders.
Surjewala demanded immediate action from the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, state president B Y Vijayendra, and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka.
He said they must tender a public apology to Kannadigas, particularly to OBCs, SCs, and minorities, over the remarks, and urged the party to expel Simha if it does not repudiate his statements.
Surjewala also called for legal action, demanding that an FIR be registered against Simha and that strict measures be taken.
Warning of "political consequences", he said the electorate in the bypoll-bound constituencies would respond decisively if the BJP failed to apologise, asserting that voters would "teach the BJP a befitting lesson" in the elections.
There has been no immediate reaction from the saffron party yet.
