Rajya Sabha to hold Constitution debate amid no-trust motion row
What's the story
The Rajya Sabha will hold a two-day debate on the Constitution from Monday. The discussion comes amid the continued uproar over a no-confidence motion moved by opposition MPs against Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, resulting in massive disruptions in the Upper House. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief and Union Health Minister JP Nadda will open the debate at 11:00am when the Rajya Sabha reconvenes.
Debate participants
Key BJP figures to participate in Constitution debate
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also slated to reply during the session, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi likely to deliver his reply on Tuesday. Other prominent BJP speakers include Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Hardeep Singh Puri and MPs Sudhanshu Trivedi, Bhupendra Yadav, and Brijlal. The debate on the Constitution has been a major demand of the opposition during this Winter Session of Parliament.
Parliamentary disruptions
Parliament proceedings marred by disruptions
Parliamentary proceedings have been disrupted over several issues, including the Adani controversy and George Soros allegations. Last week, the Rajya Sabha was rocked by uproar and adjournments over arguments over the no-trust motion against Dhankhar. Opposition MPs accuse Dhankhar of biased conduct, with Friday's session being adjourned within an hour after exchanges between him and Congress MP Mallikarjun Kharge.
Accusations and blame
Dhankhar responds to accusations, O'Brien blames BJP
Responding to the allegations of bias, Dhankhar said, "This is not a campaign against me but against the farmer community to which I belong." Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien held the BJP responsible for disruptions, saying they want smooth functioning of the House. He said if the BJP doesn't disrupt Parliament, they want discussions on people's issues.
Debate conclusion
Lok Sabha concludes Constitution debate amid accusations
The Lok Sabha ended its Constitution debate on December 14. In the session, opposition parties had accused the BJP-led government of subverting the Constitution. Responding to this, PM Modi accused Congress of "mutilating the Constitution" for political gain. He claimed his government's policies since 2014 are in line with the Constitution's vision of strengthening India's unity and democracy. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi said that the BJP was ridiculing Hindutva icon Vinayak Damodar Savarkar by speaking about protecting the Constitution.