Hyderabad: Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien on Friday decided to let the Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan decide whether Congress member Dr K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao’s private Bill seeking special category status for Andhra Pradesh was a money Bill or not. Union finance minister Arun Jaitley added that the Centre was keen to implement all promises made to AP besides implementing various provisions in the AP Reorganisation Act, but stressed that any Bill having financial implications would have to be debated and decided by the Lok Sabha.
Following this there was an uproar from the Opposition, especially the Congress, whose members argued that the ruling party could not take shelter under the rules now, as the Bill had already been debated and replied to by the minister a few months ago. They said the ruling party had not objected then.
Senior Congress MP Kapil Sibal informed the Chair that all Bills introduced in either House of Parliament would have some financial commitments, which did not mean that the Rajya Sabha could not entertain them. He also argued that Dr Rao's Bill was only seeking commitments that were made in the House at the time of division of AP, and did not specifically talk about finances, which would be worked out by the government. Congress member Jairam Ramesh reminded Mr Jaitley that Dr Rao's Bill had been given advance assent for introduction by the President of India and the Rajya Sabha secretary general had accepted it a year ago.
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said the Bill was only seeking the commitment made by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the Rajya Sabha and hence could not be termed as a Money Bill. This was supported by CPM member Sitaram Yechury. Following this, Mr Kurien gave a ruling that since there was an objection by the finance minister quoting rules and procedure, taking up voting would amount to impropriety by the House and decided to refer the matter to the Lok Sabha Speaker to determine whether it was a money Bill or not.
He said as per the Constitutional provisions, only the Lok Sabha Speaker should decide on the issue. Mr Kurien simultaneously announced closure of consideration and debate on the Bill. When he took up another item on the agenda, Congress members trooped into the Well of the House, protesting his decision. Following the ruckus Mr Kurien adjourned the House for the day.
Earlier during the discussions, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had said that he had given six assurances on the floor of the House at the time of bifurcation of AP and issues had been raised by Mr Jaitley, then Opposition leader, and others. He said as far as according special category status to AP was concerned, the Cabinet headed by him had taken a decision and had even prepared an Ordinance and sent it to the President. It could not secure assent due to the announcement of the Lok Sabha election schedule. Dr Singh demanded that all those promises made in the House should be respected and honoured and implemented.
