New twist to KVP Bill

​New Delhi: Amid twists and turns, the Private Member's Bill of Dr KVP Ramachandra Rao on AP Special Status, the subject matter of much ruckus in the past two days in the Rajya Sabha, is now sought to be dubbed as a Money Bill by the ruling party only to be dumped in a dustbin.

Having failed to prevent the Bill from occupying the centre-stage in the Rajya Sabha, with a potential to derail its plans to secure the passage of even the GST Bill, the Government stuck to the stand that no Money Bill could be introduced in the Rajya Sabha.

Vociferous protests by the Congress on Tuesday to seek a voting on the KVP's Bill led to heated exchanges amongst the members.

Questioned repeatedly by Deputy Chairman P J Kurien as to why he was apprehensive despite his assurance that the Bill could be preponed for this Friday schedule itself, Jairman Ramesh said, "because the Government has started calling it a Money Bill."

When the Chair insisted that no such statement was made in the House by the Leader of the House, Jairam reiterated that the whole of "Central Hall" was abuzz with the news. The motive of the Government was clear and it wanted to sabotage the Bill, he insisted.

Union Minister Muqtar Abbas Naqvi got up to accuse the Opposition of obstructing developmental Bills such as CAMPA Bill. "They are obstructing the business of the House only to stop the developmental work and using the Private Member's Bill as a ploy," he said.

The Chair then said it could not allow a voting right now suggesting a motion was needed. And as he did not have the motion with him, he could not allow such a thing.

Jairam Ramesh continued to counter the claim of the Finance Minister and insisted on voting at once. YSRCP MP Vijay Sai Reddy got up to intervene at this juncture to say that his party had a right to air its view in the Rajya Sabha on an important issue like Special Status as there was no representation earlier for his party in the House.

So he should be allowed to speak about the issue in his maiden speech. The Deputy Chairman agreed to this. TDP members, C M Ramesh and Y S Sujana Chowdary, said that they it would be better if voting was taken up.

CPI(M) member Sitaram Yechury got up to ask whether the Chair could give an assurance that the Bill would be taken up this Friday at least as was being claimed and that the Leader of the House would not term it a Money Bill before that and agree for voting in the House.

The Deputy Chairman said, “I cannot predict”. Yechury remarked: "My apprehension is proved now." Finance Minister Arun Jaitley got up to claim that Money Bills could not be introduced in Rajya Sabha as per the Constitution.