Here's why no discussion on Finance Bill was held in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday

Proceedings in the Rajya Sabha were washed out today due to relentless protests by the opposition members over vacancies in the commissions for SCs, STs, backward classes and minorities.

The government sought to address the concerns by saying the process was underway for filling up these vacancies but the parties like the Congress, the Samajwadi Party, the JD(U) and the BSP kept demanding a commitment that it will be done within a week. The House was repeatedly adjourned and finally for the day at 3.10  pm as the opposition parties insisted on an immediate discussion on the issue.

The Chair, however, said that their notices for a discussion under an Adjournment Motion have been disallowed. Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, who spoke amid the din, said the delay in appointments to the statutory commissions was due to the Model Code enforced because of elections in five states recently. He said the process of filling up the vacancies has started and the Chairmen for the SC Commission and the Safai Karamchari Ayog have been appointed. He said the process to fill up other vacancies was also underway and would be completed soon. He added that it was not for the first time that there have been delays in filling up such vacancies.

"The appointments will be made and many such appointments have already been made. The delay was due to the enforcement of Model Code following assembly elections in five states," Gehlot said. He said that in 2007 and 2010, when Congress-led government was in power, there was a delay of three and five months, respectively, in filling up such vacancies. The SC Commission chairmanship fell vacant on October 31 last year, theminister said. The unrelenting opposition members, however, did not allow the Minister to speak despite repeated requests by Deputy Chairman P J Kurien.

While the House saw three adjournments during pre-lunch, including two in the Question Hour, there were two more adjournments post lunch after which it was finally adjourned for the day at 3.10 pm. Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said the issue was very important and required a discussion as members have already given notices. He sought to know whether the government would commit itself to appoint the chairmen and members in all the commissions within a week and whether an immediate discussion on the issue is allowed or not. "Never has it happened in the country that all three commissions are headless and they are without members too. The SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities account for 80 to 85 per cent of total population and the various commissions implement the schemes for their welfare and upliftment.

"If commissions are not formed for welfare of 85 per cent population, then who is the government representing? The leadership of the ruling party, both at the level of states and the Centre, are not interested in upliftment of SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities. This shows how much the BJP government cares for these classes," Azad said.  Earlier, I&B Minister M Venkaiah Naidu tried to counter the opposition members, saying all the commissions were functioning and the process of filling up the vacancies was on.

"All commissions are functioning. The process of filling up the vacancies is on. They will be filled up," he said, adding that "vacancies will be filled up in due course of time". Kurien tried to restore order in the House by saying the minister has promised that vacancies will be filled up "immediately", but Naid  clarified that the vacancies will be filled up in "due course" of time. Sharad Yadav (JDU) said the state of affairs in the country in last 70 years was such that there were a large number of vacancies of teachers in various educational institutions like IITs, Delhi University and JNU and asked by when the government would fill up the vacancies as well as the backlog.
"Why is there so much of backlog? This is not right given that 80 per cent population comprise these classes," he asked.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, "we want to tell the Leader of Opposition that the Modi government was committed to the welfare and upliftment of dalits, SCs, STs and other oppressed classes." He also told the Congress members to check their own track record during UPA a year before they were thrown out of power. "Those speaking like this should see their own track record 1.5 years before they were thrown out of power," he said.
However, an unrelenting opposition did not allow the Ministers to speak and kept raising slogans in the well. They repeatedly trooped into the Well alleging that the government was "misleading" by telling "lies" on the issue.
Slogans like "jumlebaazi ki yeh sarkar, nahin chalegi" rent the air as the House repeated adjournments. 

After the lunch break, the Deputy Chairman wanted to take up the resumed discussion on the Finance Bill which remained inconclusive yesterday. He reminded the members that yesterday it was agreed in the House the debate on the Finance Bill will resume at 2 pm and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley would give a reply at 3.30 pm. As the House continued to be in disorder, Kurien asked, "Is there no sanctity of that (agreement)?" Naresh Agrawal (SP) asked the Deputy Chairman to take the sense of the House and hold a discussion on the issue of vacancies. Kurien said the members would have to give proper notices for that.
Agrawal then said in that case, the House should be adjourned for the day and the issue can be taken up tomorrow by when the fate of such a notice would have been decided.

"You cannot misinterpret the Rule to your convenience. There will be no conditional adjournment. You cannot thrust upon such a decision on the chair," Kurien said. Agrawal said, "the House will not work like this and the members will see tomorrow if the Chairman gives assent to their plea for a discussion or not." The Opposition members then again trooped into the Well and shouted slogans, forcing Kurien to adjourn the House till 3 pm.
When the House met again, similar scenes prevailed.

Kurien again suggested to the agitating members that the House should take up the discussion on the Finance Bill today and debate on vacancies in Commissions could be taken up tomorrow at 2 pm.
Opposition members, however, did not pay heed to the suggestion and kept on raising slogans. The ruling party members countered with slogans against the opposition. Kurien then adjourned the House for the day 
Earlier, responding to the plea taken by the ruling party that states like Uttarakhand did not make appointments to such statutory commissions, Azad said he was talking about the commissions at the national level and states should not be brought in. "In the state of Gujarat, there was no appointment of chairmen of SC/ST and OBC commissions as also of Lokayukta for last 15 years. It seems the state and central leadership is not interested in uplifting the SCs/STs, OBCs and minorities," he alleged.