Delhi Services bill in RS on Monday: AAP, Congress issue whips for their Rajya Sabha MPs

"Very important issues will be taken up for discussion in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow, i.e. Monday, August 7, 2023," Congress stated in a notification of August 4 which was made public on Sunday.

New Delhi:The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party have issued three-line whips for their MPs, urging them to be present in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. "Very important issues will be taken up for discussion in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow, i.e. Monday, August 7, 2023," Congress stated in a notification of August 4 which was made public on Sunday.

It further said, "All members of Congress party in the Rajya Sabha are requested to kindly remain present in the House from 11:00 A.M. onwards till the adjournment of the House on Monday, August 7, 2023 without fail and support the party stand." "This may be treated as most important," it added.

Similarly, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) issued a three-line whip to its Rajya Sabha members, asking them to be present in the House on August 7 and 8. This comes as the contentious National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, which aims to replace the ordinance giving the Union government control over Delhi's bureaucracy, is scheduled for discussion and passage in Rajya Sabha.

"All members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Rajya Sabha are requested to kindly remain present in the house from 11 am onwards until adjournment of the House from 7th August to 8th August, 2023, without fail and support the party stand. This may be treated as MOST IMPORTANT," the whip read.

The Rajya Sabha on Friday was adjourned for the day amid a ruckus created by both the Opposition party members as well as the treasury benches. The House will reconvene on Monday at 11 am. Soon after the House reassembled after its first adjournment at 12 noon, the Opposition party members reiterated their demand to hold a comprehensive discussion on Manipur ethnic violence issue under Rule 267.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar declined all the 48 notices given under Rule 267 by the Opposition MPs pointing out that they are not ready to discuss Manipur violence even after the assurance given by the chair that there will not be any time limit during the discussion on the issue and that each member will be allocated as much time as they want.

Meanwhile, BJP MP from Rajasthan Ghanshyam Tiwari raised a point related to crime against women in Rajasthan and sought a discussion on the issue too. The Rajya Sabha has been facing a similar logjam since July 20, the day when the Monsoon Session started, over the Manipur violence issue. (With agency inputs)