Parliament Winter Session Day 8: Rajya Sabha Passes Repealing and Amending Bill, Adjourns Amidst Continuous Protests

The winter session of the Indian Parliament is in full swing, with day 8 being a crucial one as the Rajya Sabha passed the Repealing and Amending Bill amidst continuous protests from the opposition parties. The bill, aimed at repealing 58 outdated laws, was passed in the Lok Sabha earlier this week and was finally approved by the Upper House yesterday after much chaos and disruptions.

The proceedings of the day began with the usual Question Hour, but as the day progressed, the Rajya Sabha was filled with chaos and uproar. Opposition parties, mainly the Congress, raised their voices against the passage of the Repealing and Amending Bill, calling it a major step towards eroding democracy and a ploy by the ruling government to 'cover-up' their failures.

The bill, which proposes to revoke several archaic laws including the Hindu Marriage Act and the Indian Fisheries Act, was championed by Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in the Rajya Sabha. Mr. Prasad, while addressing the house, emphasized that these laws were irrelevant and needed to be repealed to make way for a more modern and progressive legal system.

But the opposition was not impressed and their vehement protests resulted in multiple adjournments of the session. Congress MP Anand Sharma, while opposing the bill, stated that the current government's track record on repealing laws has been questionable and that many of the laws being repealed were still in use and had not become redundant.

Despite the chaos and heated exchanges in the Rajya Sabha, the bill was passed after a division vote. However, the opposition parties were not satisfied and continued to disrupt the proceedings, forcing the house to adjourn for the day.

This brings us to an important question – was the passing of the Repealing and Amending Bill a necessary step or just a political move by the ruling government? While some may argue that these laws were indeed outdated and needed to be scrapped, others believe that the haste and lack of consultation with all stakeholders was not in the best interest of the country.

Moreover, with the constant and aggressive protests by the opposition, is the Parliament losing its importance and becoming a platform for political grandstanding? It is the responsibility of both the ruling and opposition parties to engage in constructive debates and discussions, rather than resorting to disruptions and chaos.

On a positive note, the passing of the bill by the Rajya Sabha shows the effectiveness of the Indian democracy, where no bill can become a law without the consent of both houses. However, the continuous disruptions and adjournments are a cause for concern and reflect poorly on the functioning of the Parliament.

As the winter session of the Parliament enters its second week, both the government and opposition need to keep the interest of the nation above politics and work towards finding common ground on important issues. The passing of the Repealing and Amending Bill may have been a small victory for the ruling party, but the larger question remains – are the voices of the people being heard in the Parliament amidst all the chaos and disruptions?