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NIA Amendment Bill may face hurdle in RS

New Delhi: While a law to strengthen the anti-terror National Investigation Agency (NIA) by empowering it to investigate attacks against Indians abroad was passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday, opposition parties are gearing up to stall the bill in the Upper House. Opposition parties of the Parliament apprehend that this law might be misused against those who are critical of the current government at the centre.

In the Buisness Advisory Committee meeting on Monday, leaders of opposition parties such as Congress, TMC and left parties put forward the demand for sending the amendment to the Select Committee for scrutiny. Their objections are that the government might have brought this bill for larger interest but as it has huge ramifications on the citizens of India, it would be better to have a thorough scrutiny.

There are eight important bills slated in both the Houses, with no doubt that all of them would be passed in the Lok sabha easily. But opposition parties have made their intention clear that these bills cannot be passed without scrutiny.

TMC Rajya Sabha Leader Derek O'Brien said that they were not opposing the bill for opposition sake. Instead, they want all new bills to go under parliamentary scrutiny through a joint committee. This would allow the public premises amendment, Jallianwala Bagh and Central universities and Motor Vehicle act amendment bill to pass in the Rajya Sabha.

The Motor Vehicle Amendment bill has already come to the select committee. But bills like the NIA Amendment bill, DNA, and consumer protection bill should also go through parliamentary scrutiny before passing. In the Rajya Sabha Buisness Advisory committee meeting, the issue of cooperation from the opposition also came up. Chairman Venkiah Naidu urged the government to have a dialogue with opposition leaders for smooth passage of the controversial bill.

Till date, the goverment has not shown any indiacation of bringing the Triple Talaq ban bill to the Rajya Sabha. It was the very first bill on the first day of the ongoing Lok Sabha session. One of the main reasons for not opposing the Motor Vehicles Act bill was that the number of opposing Mps have decreased. For example, AIADMK was opposing the Motor Vehicles bill in its present form but now there seems to be a change of heart and they are supporting it.

As of now, opposition are not sure about their numbers to oppose and defer a bill of their choice. But they would try their level best to do so.

Meanwhile, TMC has written to both the Lok Sabha Speaker and Chairman of Rajya Sabha about the manner in which West Bengal-specific-starred questions are abeing allowed on a regular basis. And Union Home Ministry on the basis of those questions is regularly sending advisory to the West Bengal Government asking for a report. TMC is now questioning the method of allowing state specific questions in the Upper House, because on the same subject same questions cannot be repeated.

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