Ensure scrutiny of bills, don't legislate in haste: Mallikarjun Kharge to govt

Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge asked the government on Thursday to ensure proper scrutiny of legislative bills by parliamentary panels and said there should be no enactment of laws in hasteThe opposition has been accusing the BJPled NDA government of passing important bills in Parliament without adequate discussion or scrutinyIn his farewell speech to 68 retiring Rajya Sabha members Kharge recalled former vice president Sarvepalli Radhakrishnans words that the second chamber Rajya Sabha of Parliament is essential to prevent hasty legislationHe said the ruling party enjoys a majority and thus gets bills passed anywayThe hasty legislation we do MPs are suspended and bills are passed Hundred and fortysix MPs were removed from the House and bills were passed This should be not done Kharge saidThe Congress leader said hasty legislation leads to amendments after amendments for correcting mistakes later onHe emphasised that bills should first be scrutinised by parliamentary panels such as standing committees and joint parliamentary committeesWhat will happen if bills are scrutinised by parliamentary panels The government has the majority bills will get passed Kharge saidHe said a scrutiny of bills provides an opportunity to parliamentarians to examine those properlyPlease do not pass bills in a hurry Kharge saidHe also lamented that the opposition parties do not get adequate time to raise issues in the HouseKharges speech evoked some light moments and laughters in the House as he recalled his yearslong friendship with Janata Dal Secular leader and former prime minister H D Deve GowdaDeve Gowdaji spent his entire life for the cause of secularism socialism and farmers But I do not know what has happened suddenly that at such a ripe age he has hugged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is praising him like anything He is not in the habit of praising anyone I do not know what changed his habit Kharge saidHis comments evoked laughter across the benches and the prime minister too was seen enjoying the momentKharge lauded the achievements of the previous Manmohan Singh government during its 10year tenure Singh too is retiring from the HouseKharge also highlighted the plight of those MPs who do not have money to sustain themselves after retirement He asked the government to do something for such retired MPsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever