H D Deve Gowda takes oath as Rajya Sabha member
New Delhi: Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda on Sunday took oath as a member of the Rajya Sabha.
Gowda, 87, was in June elected to the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka. This is the first time that the JD(S) leader has become a member of the Upper House since 1996.
When the House met for the day, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu called for oath-taking by newly elected members. After taking oath in Kannada, Gowda greeted the chair with folded hands.
Naidu remarked that he is a "good addition to our House".
"Former prime minister and one of the senior-most leaders of our country has come to our House," he said.
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Opposition stages walkout in RS over BJP MP's remarks on misuse of OBC reservation
New Delhi (PTI): The Rajya Sabha on Monday witnessed a walkout by several opposition parties over BJP member K Laxman's remarks that OBC reservation is being misused in the name of religion.
Leader of the House and Union Minister J P Nadda criticised the walkout, saying the Congress leadership and the opposition's INDIA alliance are neither interested in debates nor have any respect for democratic values or the Constitution.
During Zero Hour, Laxman raised the issue of OBC reservation, and said their quota is being misused in the name of religion.
He said some states are extending reservations to Muslims and requested the government to order a comprehensive review of such religion-based reservations.
While he was speaking, certain opposition members raised objections to Laxman's remarks.
Later, almost the entire opposition staged a walkout from the House.
Nadda said the opposition parties are disrespectful to the Constitution and do not respect the parliamentary procedures.
He further said opposition parties consider Muslims as a vote bank, while accusing them of engaging in appeasement politics.
