Another day, same script: Opposition protest, Bills passed in din in Parliament

The third week of the Monsoon Session started with little promise of Parliament returning to normal functioning over the Pegasus issue even as the government got two Bills, including one on allow the government to pare its stake in state-owned insurers, passed in minutes on Monday.

The stalemate continued as the government remained unmoved by the Opposition demand for an immediate discussion on the Pegasus issue and both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessed similar scenes as in the nine sittings in first two weeks of the Monsoon Session.

There were frequent adjournments following high-decibel sloganeering by the Opposition on Pegasus, farmers' issue and price rise but the government went ahead with passing one each in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.

The General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill, 2021, which is aimed at generating required resources from the Indian markets so that public sector general insurers can design innovative products, without a debate in some six minutes in Lok Sabha.

Already, the Opposition has raised concerns about the Bill but it was passed amid din. The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill said that it seeks to remove the requirement that the central government should hold not less than 51 per cent of the equity capital in a specified insurer."

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Moving the Bill for consideration and passage, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman accused the Opposition of disturbing the proceedings of the House and avoiding discussion on the Bill and said, "if they are serious, they should sit down, debate and ask questions. Since you are afraid that the truth will come out, you don't want discussion."

Earlier, the Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had described the bill as "anti-people and anti-national".

The Inland Vessels Bill, 2021 saw some MPs participating in the debate amid Opposition protest. It was passed earlier in Lok Sabha.

Earlier in the day in Rajya Sabha, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said he was willing to consider a discussion on farmers' problems provided members do not disturb proceedings and cooperate.