Oppn gives notice to send Insurance Bill to select panel

Sources in the Congress said the entire Opposition — barring AIADMK and BJD — have signed on the notice. The combined strength of the parties which have signed on the motion is well over the half-way mark in the Upper House, where the NDA government is in a minority. The parties include Congress, SP, BSP, NCP, National Conference, TMC, JD(U), Left, DMK and RJD. Together they have 140 members in the 242-member House.

Besides that, there are 10 nominated members and several one-member parties which had supported the UPA government.

Although Congress took the initiative along with the major opposition parties, the party itself appeared doubtful over whether the Opposition unity will remain intact on Monday. “The government has two days and one cannot say whether all parties which have signed the motion will stick to the same stand on Monday. It is not a critical issue. Let’s see what happens on Monday,” a senior Congress leader said. The party too is divided on blocking its passage.

While AIADMK has not signed on the motion, it too had favoured sending the Bill to a select committee at the business advisory committee meeting. BJD is yet to take a stand.

The Opposition’s argument is that the amendments proposed by the government were substantial and require fresh scrutiny by a parliamentary committee. The motion, the sources said, demands that the Bill be sent to a select committee for its consideration in a time-bound manner.