Tweet
Even though a section of the Congress favoured that the Government should go ahead with voting on the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha, their opinion was overruled by the Congress Core Group — headed by party president Sonia Gandhi — as it preferred deferring the Bill by passing time till midnight than allowing the Opposition to get its amendments passed.
The party wanted to avoid a repeat of the humiliation it had suffered on Tuesday when the Bill granting Constitutional status to the Lokpal was defeated in the Lok Sabha, but in the process has put egg on its face.
When the Core Group, having Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and senior Ministers — met on Thursday evening it considered various options. The suggestion to defer the Bill by referring it to a select committee was turned down as it was not allowed under rules since the Bill had already been considered by a Joint Parliamentary Committee.
The other option was going for voting even though the Bill will be defeated as the UPA had not the required numbers with ally Trinamool Congress deserting it and BSP and SP refusing to bail it by walking out during voting process. Congress MP and chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Lokpal Abhishek Manu Singhvi pressed for this idea, but it was rejected.
This was done as the Congress realised that the Bill will not be rejected in its original form, but the Opposition will pass some of the 187 amendments it had moved which would make its position untenable as a Union Minister will have to later move the motion for passage of the Bill having provisions suggested by the Opposition parties.
“The situation would have been very embarrassing for the Government as it would be effectively passing the Bill of the Opposition parties. Also, it could not have defended these amendments as many of them were contradictory to each other and created confusion in the law making process,” sources said.
So, when BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra and Trinamool leader Mukul Roy refused to budge from their stand on moving amendments, the decision was taken to prolong the debate till midnight and create confusion in the House which would ensure that it did not sit to pass amendments moved by Opposition parties.
The Government floor managers held parleys with RJD president Lalu Prasad also. The move of RJD MP Rajniti Prasad to tear the Bill only helped the Government’s design.
The party wanted to avoid a repeat of the humiliation it had suffered on Tuesday when the Bill granting Constitutional status to the Lokpal was defeated in the Lok Sabha, but in the process has put egg on its face.
When the Core Group, having Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and senior Ministers — met on Thursday evening it considered various options. The suggestion to defer the Bill by referring it to a select committee was turned down as it was not allowed under rules since the Bill had already been considered by a Joint Parliamentary Committee.
The other option was going for voting even though the Bill will be defeated as the UPA had not the required numbers with ally Trinamool Congress deserting it and BSP and SP refusing to bail it by walking out during voting process. Congress MP and chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Lokpal Abhishek Manu Singhvi pressed for this idea, but it was rejected.
This was done as the Congress realised that the Bill will not be rejected in its original form, but the Opposition will pass some of the 187 amendments it had moved which would make its position untenable as a Union Minister will have to later move the motion for passage of the Bill having provisions suggested by the Opposition parties.
“The situation would have been very embarrassing for the Government as it would be effectively passing the Bill of the Opposition parties. Also, it could not have defended these amendments as many of them were contradictory to each other and created confusion in the law making process,” sources said.
So, when BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra and Trinamool leader Mukul Roy refused to budge from their stand on moving amendments, the decision was taken to prolong the debate till midnight and create confusion in the House which would ensure that it did not sit to pass amendments moved by Opposition parties.
The Government floor managers held parleys with RJD president Lalu Prasad also. The move of RJD MP Rajniti Prasad to tear the Bill only helped the Government’s design.
