Rajya Sabha

On July 18, the first day of Monsoon Session, BJP Member from Karnataka Jaggesh had to take the oath for a second time as his oath was also not in order. Without naming Jaggesh, Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu had said that while taking the oath, one should read the prescribed form and any deviation will make their oath invalid.

After the Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day, some Opposition members were seen in the Well of the House holding packets of curd, buttermilk and milk and shouting 'scrap GST'. In the morning, as the House proceedings started, Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu said that he has allowed a discussion on the issue of price rise but the opposition members demanded holding discussion immediately by suspending business.

Soon after the House assembled in the morning, noted former athlete P.T. Usha took oath as Member. Chaos reigned after Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and other opposition members demanded a discussion under rule 267. Kharge said that inflation has affected everyone as prices of all essential food items, LGP and others have skyrocketed. When the pandemonium continued unabated, the House was adjourned till 2 p.m.

The Upper House is likely to discuss and pass the Bill to amend the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005 tabled by External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar on Tuesday. The opposition is expected to demand a discussion on the hike in GST rates, Agnipath, price rise and other issues.

Rajya Sabha also made obituary references on passing away of former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe, legendary Santoor player Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, former members Kishore Kumar Mohanty, Robert Kharshiing and K.K. Veerappan, President of the UAE and the ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and third President of Kenya Mwai Kibaki.

On the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on Monday, the Rajya Sabha witnessed the members walking to the Well of the House over 'Agnipath', inflation and other issues. After repeated failed requests to the protesting members to let the House function, Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu adjourned the proceedings for the day.

Some of the dissenters have already crossed over to the BJP including Jitin Prasada who is now a minister in the Uttar Pradesh government. The group is lying low after being completely sidelined in the party except for their presence on a few committees. Their leaders are unhappy after not being given a chance for the Rajya Sabha for which they were hopefuls.

On Wednesday, the government nominated P.T. Usha from Kerala, K.V. Vijayendra Prasad from Andhra Pradesh, Ilaiyaraaja from Tamil Nadu and Veerendra Heggade from Karnataka. The four nominated Rajya Sabha members represent four south Indian states include a woman, a dalit, and a member of a religious minority (Jain community). A BJP functionary said that the Rajya Sabha nomination is in line with 'sabka saath, sabka vikas' and will certainly help the party in its expansion plan in South India.

"I did not imagine being nominated to the Rajya Sabha as I did not demand it. But am honoured as this would help me expand the service base from the state to the country," he said. "I was unaware of the development till last night. Since then, congratulatory messages have been pouring in from all sections. Our people are happy," he stated.

Superstar Suresh Gopi whose term ended this April, Dr K.Kasthurirangan, Dr M.S.Swaminathan, Cartoonist Abu Abraham, G.Shankara Kurup, G.Ramachandran and Sardar K.M.Panikkar are the other dignitaries who made it to the upper house recently. Fifty-eight-year-old Usha hails from Payyoli in Kozhikode district and is presently employed with the Indian Railways.