Opposition today blocked attempt to push the legislative agenda in Rajya Sabha by insisting that the House should not run beyond 5 pm since it was Friday even as the government criticised the "selective" attitude.
Government tried to reason out but finally agreed to the opposition demand for taking up the government business next week after which the House was adjourned for the day.
When the House re-assembled at 2.30 pm after repeated adjournments over National Herald issue, government wanted to take up the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2015 and The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2015 for consideration and passage.
As per the tradition, second half of Fridays (2.30 pm onwards) is reserved for private members' business.
Deputy Leader of Congress in the House Anand Sharma said it being a Friday, many members have booked their tickets for their weekend trip to home and hence the House should not extend its business beyond 5 pm.
Sharma said he, as well as Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, had earlier also raised the issue of not running the House beyond 5 pm on Friday and it was agreed upon.
Government said the opposition seems unwilling to allow the government business and if the issue is about timing, at least one bill should be passed in half an hour.
"This is not the right approach that we will allow Private Member Business and Short Duration Discussion but will not allow the business of the government... Their (Opposition's) objection is not sitting up to 6 pm. Their objection is about government bills. They will not allow any government bill to be passed," Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.
(Repeating with addition of a para at the end)
However, the Opposition members remained adamant and asked the Leader of House Arun Jaitley to agree to the demand.
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "I have to submit two things. On Friday, MPs from South and North East have to catch weekend flights. Flights are at 6 pm. Our elders kept business on Friday till 5 pm. Being Friday, we should do business in the House till 5 pm so that a member catch flights.
"Most of the political parties are of the view that we should not take legislative business after 5 pm. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs is here, I request you to pay heed to it," he said.
"The sense of the House is that after 5 'o' clock, there should be no government business today," Derek 'O Brien (TMC) said. K C Tyagi (JD-U) also objected to the "imposition" of the government business.
After some sharp exchnages, the government finally gave in to the Opposition's demand. It was agreed that the Private Members' Business Resolutions will be taken up in the next session now.
Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said, "The sense of the House is that we will not sit beyond 5 pm. This is for today. The Business Advisory Committee should take the decision whether to sit beyond 5 pm next week."
"I am ready and happy to end on happy note on hope that from Monday we will start functioning smoothely. I request everyone to support and stand united," Kurien said.
The Opposition, however, allowed the government to withdraw The Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts Bill, 2015.
