Absentee BJP MPs: Shah livid, seeks explanation in writing
The party leadership is especially purturbed as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been repeatedly stressing, including at a similar meeting last week, on the need for the presence of MPs in Parliament
The BJP's national president, Amit Shah is livid after a key clause in a bill had to be dropped in the Rajya Sabha owing to the absence of several MPs. Shah has sought a written explanation from the MPs including Union ministers, whose absence from the Rajya Sabha despite a whip resulted in opposition amendments getting passed.
Amit Shah made his displeasure amply clear at the BJP parliamentary party meeting where he said he does not want to "name and shame" them but warned against a repeat of such an embarrassing lapse.
A senior BJP leader said nearly 17 party MP, including ministers, were missing from the House when a united opposition determinedly pushed for certain changes in the constitution amendment bill to set up a National Commission for Backward Classes with constitutional status.
The government suffered embarassment when the amendments were passed by 74 to 52 votes. The BJP's strength in the house is 56, while the ruling bloc enjoys the support of 88 members, including 10 JD(U) MPs.
"When the party issues a whip, members must be present in the House. The party president has taken a serious view of the absence of members. He said it should not have happened and must not be repeated," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters.
Amit Shah said the OBC bill was an important legislation for the Modi government and lamented that it was stalled due to lack of numbers.
He asked MPs that they had been sent to Parliament to "deliver and perform", and their absence despite a whip was simply unacceptable.
Among
the
ministers
not
present
in
the
House
were
Ravi
Shankar
Prasad,
Piyush
Goyal
and
Dharmendra
Pradhan.
However,
a
party
source
insisted
that
some
of
the
absentee
members
might
have
valid
reasons
for
their
absence.
"Everybody
will
be
asked
to
explain.
It
is
only
after
we
receive
their
response
that
we
will
make
an
assesment,"
the
source
said.
The party leadership is especially purturbed as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been repeatedly stressing, including at a similar meeting last week, on the need for the presence of MPs in Parliament during sessions.
Shah also told the MPs that several votes cast during the presidential poll turned out to be invalid and asked them to ensure that they cast their votes properly during the vice- presidential election on August 5.
OneIndia News