Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill introduced in RS amid uproar

An amendment bill that allows a Supreme Court judge besides the Chief Justice of India to be appointed as the chairperson of National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) and increases the number of members from two to three, was on Monday introduced in Rajya Sabha amid ruckus by opposition members.

Soon after the House reconvened at 2 pm after two adjournments in the pre-lunch session, Deputy Chairman Harivansh called Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai to move the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019 but Trinamool Congress's Derek O'Brien opposed it, saying the copy of the amendments were not distributed to the members and questioned the government's intention behind pushing the Bill in a hurry.

Till then, the Congress and other opposition members trooped in the well and started sloganeering "Dalit Virodhi Ye Sarkar, Nahi Chalegi-Nahi Chalegi".

Amid the din, Rai moved the Bill even as the opposition members were protesting. As the agitating members were chanting slogans, some of them tore peace of papers and hurled it towards the chair.

Congress's Anand Sharma said that in the absence of a standing committee, it was unfair on the members part to proceed with the consideration of amendments in such short notice.

"This government seems to be in hurry to pass the every Bill," he said raising a Point of Order.

However, the Deputy Chairman called Congress's Vivek Tankha to initiate the debate. As the Congress members were protesting, Harivansh called BJP's Prabhat Jha to speak.

As Jha was speaking, opposition members were shouting slogans. Amid the din, Harivansh again urged the members to maintain order in the House.

As they did not pay heed, he adjourned the House till 3 p.m.

The Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed with a voice vote in Lok Sabha.

Earlier, the Upper House witnessed a vociferous protest by the Congress and other opposition parties in the pre-lunch session forcing the chair to adjourn the House first till 12 noon and then till 2 pm.