Parliament diary: Opposition parties lack coordination in Rajya Sabha

After the RTI Amendment Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha, the alleged lack of co-ordination between Opposition parties seems exposed. In fact, the Opposition parties have come to a conclusion that there is no point in coordinating over key Bills. Moreover, parties will individually try to oppose controversial Bills and hope for unanimity among other like-minded parties. A fractured Opposition has helped the government to pass major Bills without much scrutiny.

No notice given by SP, BSP over Unnao rape SURVIVOR’S road accident
Many political parties expressed concern over the road accident involving the Unnao rape victim, who is currently fighting for her life in a hospital. However, neither the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) nor the Samajwadi Party (SP) has given any notice in the Parliament on the issue. Only the Left, Trinamul Congress (TMC) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have given notice for discussing the matter. Notably, many MPs were curious about the SP and BSP’s silence on this issue in the Parliament.

TMC miffed as CBI ignores Mukul Roy in Saradha chit fund scam
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has served a notice to Trinamul’s Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien over the Saradha chit fund scam. It is believed that Mr O’Brien has been summoned as he is the publisher of the party mouthpiece Jago Bangla. The mouthpiece had received the proceeds from auctioning chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s painting. It was Mukul Roy, then a Trinamul leader and now in BJP, who had organised the auction. Trinamul MPs are now miffed with the CBI for not summoning Mr Roy over the matter.