V-P’s ultimatum

Rajya Sabha Chairperson Bhairon Singh Shekhawat continues to wield the big stick against absentee members. On Friday, he was more than exasp...

Rajya Sabha Chairperson Bhairon Singh Shekhawat continues to wield the big stick against absentee members. On Friday, he was more than exasperated when he saw that members who should be inside the House seeking replies to their listed question were absent during the mandatory Question Hour. ‘‘Tell me, what I should do with such members,’’ he asked those present. And then he chided those playing truant for ‘‘not realising how much effort goes into getting answers to their questions.’’

The members, under the rules, can seek formal permission to be away and authorise others to attend to their questions. Shekhawat said the growing tendency of members to remain out of the House without permission was worrying him. Karan Singh tried to make light of the situation, saying, ‘‘Probably such members are incorrigible,’’ Shekhawat solemnly replied: ‘‘Well, In that case I know what to do with them.’’ Ahem. For now, Shekhawat said he’d call a meeting on this issue.

The quorum bell clangs

Wish Shekhawat was empowered to retrieve the situation in the Lower House too. Just a week into the marathon Budget session — that too on a day when there was no cricket telecast from Africa — LS had to be adjourned for lack of quorum. The House had just begun taking up private members’ business when a headcount found gaping vacancies soon after division was sought on the BJP’s Yogi Adityanath’s asking for a uniform civil code.

Kashmir on their minds

Story continues below this ad

In these politically polarised time, our elected representatives sometimes surprise. Saifuddin Soz of the Congress was making a quiet pitch for horticultural and developmental programmes for J-K. He must have been expecting the chatter to pass on to other subject, as often happens in Parliament, but suddenly found his demands being cheered on by practically all the members present, irrespective of their party affiliations. Najma Heptulla, presiding over Rajya Sabha proceedings, too chipped in with her support.

Watch that cover

The devil’s in the packaging. In an attempt to regulate manufacture, sale and use of plastic carry bags, the Government has prohibited the use of recycled plastic bags for storing, carrying and dispensing or packaging foodstuffs, Environment Minister T.R. Baalu told Rajya Sabha.