'RS chairman allowed subversion of standing committee's basic function'

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday wrote to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar over the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, being sent to a joint committee, alleging that this was an "open and shut case" of his allowing the government to deliberately circumvent the standing committee concerned.

Ramesh alleged that Dhankhar had allowed the "subversion of the Standing Committee's basic function".

His letter to Dhankhar over the issue, the second in just over a week, came in response to a letter dated April 5 from Ranjit Punhani, Secretary in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, asking him to "state the exact premise" for his objection to the reference of the Bill to the joint committee.

Ramesh heads the Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change.

"This is an extraordinary request given, I have met you personally and also written to you on my objections. I have already informed you that the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 amends the Forest Conservation Act 1980 which falls fairly and squarely in the domain of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and consequently fairly and squarely in the domain of the standing committee of this particular ministry itself," he said

"Sadly, this is an open and shut case of your allowing the government to deliberately circumvent the standing committee concerned, a standing committee of the Rajya Sabha I may add in which you have shown special interest by assigning officers of your own secretariat to be associated with it as with all other committees of the Rajya Sabha," the Congress MP said.

Ramesh said when he was the environment minister he had got referred the National Green Tribunal Bill, 2009, to the standing committee dealing with environment and forests since the subject matter of the Bill pertained directly to the domain of that panel.

"Similarly, I had got referred the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011, to the Standing Committee on Rural Development since the subject matter of the Bill was clearly a responsibility of the Ministry of Rural Development," he said.

The Forest Conservation Act, 1980, is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and this ministry's legislation is to be examined by the standing committee associated with it, he said, adding that this is what the terms of reference of the standing committee say.

"There is only one conclusion to be drawn from this game that has been played. The Government of India has decided at the highest levels that the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 will not be sent to the Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change simply because I happen to chair the standing committee," Ramesh said in his letter.

"Unfortunately, and I am most anguished to point this out given our long-standing relationship, you have allowed this subversion of the standing committee's basic function to happen," he alleged.

"You have often told me that we should not rely on precedents always but instead do the right thing by rules and procedures. I submit to you that sending the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 to the Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change would have been in keeping with your oft-expressed belief-it would simply have been the right (and obvious) thing to do by any rule or procedure," he said.

In his March 29 letter, Ramesh had lodged a protest with Dhankhar over the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, being sent to a joint committee and demanded that it be examined by the standing committee which he heads.

Congress leader in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, had also subsequently written to Speaker Om Birla raising objections over referring the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, to the joint committee of Parliament and not the standing committee.

Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav introduced the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, in Lok Sabha on March 29. The Bill was then sent to a joint committee of both the Houses.