The ruling NDA had to face embarrassment during the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha on Monday when an important bill regarding the amendment in the 123rd bill, granting constitutional status to the Other Backward Castes (OBC) Commission was taken up for business.
More than 30 MPs from the BJP and its allied parties, including five ministers, were absent on Monday in the proceedings of the Upper House. In spite of Prime Minister Narendra Modi repeatedly warning the MPs not to be absent during the sessions, BJP members were missing when the amendment in the 123rd bill was passed in Rajya Sabha with 75 MPs supporting and 52 rejecting it. After the house was adjourned Modi asked for the list of MPs absent during the session.
During the weekly meeting of Parliamentarians on Tuesday morning, party chief Amit Shah strongly reprimanded lawmakers, including some ministers, who were absent on Monday in the Rajya Sabha. He said that the people had elected them to represent them in the House and their absence in the House sends a wrong message and will not be tolerated. He added that he will personally meet all the absentees. Though Modi was not present he has asked for the list of names who did not attend the Monday’s proceedings of Rajya Sabha.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who is Leader of the House also met senior ministers and MPs to discuss the embarrassment.