Mines bill: Opposition in Rajya Sabha forces deferment till Friday

New Delhi: Opposition on Thursday forced deferment of consideration of the contentious Mines and Minerals Bill in Rajya Sabha till Friday, arguing that mineral-bearing states had not been consulted. The House saw four adjournments of brief spells in quick succession after members from Congress and Left, opposing taking up of discussion on Mines and Minerals Bill, created uproar. [caption id=“attachment_2163213” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari. PTI[/caption] The House was also slated to take up Coal bill which also has been deferred till tomorrow. Congress members even stormed the Well of the House amid demands that the Mines and Minerals Bill be again sent to the Select Committee which already scrutised the proposed legislation and presented its report to the House only yesterday. After the adjournments totalling 50 minutes, an agreement was reached between the treasury and opposition benches that the bill will be taken up tomorrow. Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said if the House fails to take up the bills tomorrow, the last day of the first part of the Budget session, the session will have to be extended. He asked members to understand the difficulties of the government and told them that if some amendments are made in the bill, it will have to go back to Lok Sabha. Later, he told Lok Sabha also that the House may have to consider the bills tomorrow. If the bills are not cleared tomorrow, they will be taken upon on Monday after extending the session. Earlier, the Rajya Sabha saw a battle of wits over rules between the treasury benches and the opposition with both sides fielding noted advocates. P Rajeeve (CPI-M) was trying to move a motion seeking re-sending of the bill to the Select Committee on the ground that mineral-bearing states were not consulted and the spirit of democracy and federalism was not followed since mines and minerals are under state subject. PTI