Government keeping the opposition under illusion for getting Bills passed: Azad

A day after the Parliament approved the Triple Talaq Bill, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday accused the government of keeping the opposition under "illusion" in getting the Bills passed in the Upper House.

Raising the issue, Azad revealed that the government had approached the opposition with a list of 23 Bills for seeking to know about its apprehensions and despite opposition's proposal of sending at least six Bills to select committee, the government was not adhering to it.

"The opposition was approached none other than the Parliamentary Affairs Minister and his other colleagues asking which Bills we would like to refer to select committee. They gave us a list of 23 Bills. We wanted half of them at least to be sent but they said as less as you can," he said.

Azad said the opposition collectively identified six Bills as "A" category and two for "B" category but despite that the triple talaq Bill, which was supposed to be referred to the Select Committee, was listed for discussion and passed yesterday.

"Since we were in talks, we did not inform our Members of Parliament (to be present in the House)," he said.

"On one side you are seeking a list from the opposition the Bills to be sent to select committee and you don't come back and put for the passage and get passed. You tell your people to be present and we remain under the illusion that this bill is going to the select committee. This is not done...on the part of the government," Azad said.

Trinamool Congress' Derek O'Brien also accused the government of keeping the opposition in dark.

"Government had been told to revert us on those bills listed by us for referring to the select committee. Taking everyone by surprise, they listed the Bill on Monday night for discussion and passage. There were two Bills which were on top priority. One was the triple talaq and the other was the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2019 (UAPA Bill). One was listed at 9 p.m. and other has been listed today," he said.

He said the opposition together had listed six bills seeking further scrutiny and referring them to the Select Committee.

"If the government has the numbers they can pass the Bills. But let us fight for the integrity of the Parliament," he said.

Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav said the Minister himself had said that the three or four Bills would be sent to select committee.

"Let the Minister deny it. If he denies I won't say anything. If the minister changes his stance it's not good," he said.

Responding to the Opposition charges, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said there was no such agreement with the opposition that the six Bills listed by them would be referred to Select Committee.

Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said that he will look into the matter before adjourning the house.