Govt, Opp face Nariman wrath

Eminent constitutional expert and nominated member of Rajya Sabha Fali S. Nariman today took both the Government and the Opposition to task ...

Eminent constitutional expert and nominated member of Rajya Sabha Fali S. Nariman today took both the Government and the Opposition to task for 8216;8216;entering into8217;8217; a 8216;8216;deal8217;8217;, suspending business of the House and for passing the Budget without discussion.

Nariman spoke twice in the House to register his protest 8212; first against the suspension of Question Hour and later against pre-mature adjournment of the Budget Session which took away the Private Members8217; right to bring in bills. During a session, Friday is the nominated day for Private Members8217; Bill.

Calling the suspension of Question Hour 8216;8216;a wrong and dangerous8217;8217; precedent, Nariman said: 8216;8216;Major political parties can, by agreement, effectively prevent this House from functioning8217;8217;.

8216;8216;One section of the House does not desire that business should go on at all 8230; But it appears to be willing that the Budget be passed, but only without discussion,8217;8217; he said. On the legal implication of the Opposition acts and the treasury bench8217;s compliance to it, he told Rajya Sabha Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat: 8216;8216;This infringes upon the rights of the individual members under Rule 182.8217;8217;

Nariman added: 8216;8216;We have a large number of questions on the Budget which we are entitled to discuss under Rule 182 and there are a large number of clarifications to be sought from the Finance Minister.8217;8217;

He pointed out that there are nearly 70 members who are either independent or nominated or belonging to small parties, and 8216;8216;their rights as members were being denied merely because leaders of some major political parties on the both sides of the House were agreeable to a totally undemocratic procedure8217;8217;.

Taking another dig at the manner in which the NDA has been conducting itself in the House, Nariman said since the session started in May, there has been no meaningful discussion on any matter, 8216;8216;not even on the President8217;s Address8217;8217;.

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Later, in the post-lunch session, Nariman again said that leaders of major parties should ponder over it before 8216;8216;entering into these deals8217;8217; of allowing the passage of the Budget without discussion.

8216;8216;We must go through the forms, through the motions, have the discussions whatever they are, sit if necessary for the whole evening, for half-the-night, as other House is sometimes required to do, and, thereafter, have everything passed, and, not in this fashion,8217;8217; Nariman said.