Government's hands full with business: Minister

The govt came under attack from the Congress for not coming up with enough legislative business in the budget session

Government today came under sharp attack from Congress in the Rajya Sabha for not coming up with enough legislative business in the budget session, a charge it rejected outrightly and termed it as "desperation" on part of the Opposition party.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Satyavrat Chaturvedi said it is unfortunate that despite so many days of this session having passed, the government has no legislative business.

He rued that till now only one bill pertaining to the National Institute of Design has been brought in by the government.

"I am worried because so many bills are pending in this House from the previous session. What is the government doing about 35 bills pending. I have heard that they are going to adjourn the House sine die," Chaturvedi said adding the government is unable to take decisions

He also said he has heard that the government is postponing the proposed visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to China as it could not complete its preparatinons.

Reacting sharply to it, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Prakash Javadekar said "I have never seen such an example of political desperation. Today, we have the budget and then the finance bill. Other legislative business will also come."

He said government's hands are full with business.

K N Balagopal (CPI-M) sought to know the government stand on food security at the World Trade Organization (WTO) talks in Geneva wondering whether it is being diluted

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said as far as the House is concerned, there is no decision that the government has diluted the stand.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Prakash Javadekar told the Chair that any matter raised on the basis of speculation cannot be answered.

P Rajeeve (CPI-M), however, said that there are already reports regarding it on the WTO website.