Monsoon Session of Parliament: NRC, MSP likely to dominate proceedings; TMC to move privilege motion

A day after Parliament was repeatedly disrupted over the National Register of Citizens (NRC) final draft in Assam, the issue is again likely to come up before both Houses on Friday. A ruckus in the Rajya Sabha forced an early adjournment on Thursday, as Trinamool Congress members trooped into the Well of the House and prevented Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah from speaking. The TMC members were demanding a reply from Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the NRC debate. As the protests continued, Naidu then adjourned the House, saying, “Everyday it has become a fashion. Let the country see what is happening here…. You do not want to discuss even farmers’ issue.” Though it’s unlikely that the Parliament has heard the last of this issue, business in both the Houses of the Parliament is likely to be dominated by other issues as  well such as MSP, detention of TMC MPs in Silchar, etc. Following are the issues likely to come up for debate in Parliament today: NRC: After a TMC delegation was detained in Assam’s Silchar district on Thursday, the party’s leaders have been demanding a statement from Rajnath on the issue, further alleging manhandling of party MPs as well. Though Naidu gave an assurance that the home minister would give a reply, the TMC members continued their protest. [caption id=“attachment_4801741” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Parliament. PTI[/caption] Naidu also recalled that senior Congress leader Anand Sharma had also suggested that the parliamentary affairs minister should talk to Opposition parties and the home minister on the issue. It remains to be seen if the issue continues to rage on Friday as well. MSP: On Thursday, the Rajya Sabha was scheduled to take up a short-duration discussion on the “recent increase in minimum support price (MSP) for Kharif crops and challenges in agriculture”. Amit Shah was expected to address the issue during his speech to the House, but it didn’t come up for discussion owing to repeated disruptions, but it’s likely to come up for debate on Friday. The TMC and BJP members had  clashed on this issue as well with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “misleading” the people about increasing the MSP of kharif crops. The Union Cabinet had earlier approved a hike in the MSP for all 14 kharif crops, including paddy. “The prime minister is spreading misinformation. He is misleading the people on the issue of increasing the MSP (of kharif crops). The Centre has hiked the MSP by only Rs 200, but is claiming that it has increased it by 50 per cent, which is totally false,” Banerjee had said while speaking inside the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. TMC may move privilege motion: A report on The Asian Age said the Trinamool Congress may move a privilege motion in the Lok Sabha on Friday against the detention of its MPs in Assam. The Trinamul Congress delegation, consisting six MPs, one MLA and one minister from West Bengal, left for Silchar but has allegedly been manhandled and detained at the airport. The issue of detention of the TMC members was first raised in the Lok Sabha by party leader Saugata Roy on Thursday, who said, “I will move a privilege motion against the Assam government.” BJP issues a whip to its MPs: The BJP has issued a three-line whip to its Lok Sabha MPs, asking everybody to be present in the House on Friday, for the “passage of important bills”. Among the bills likely to come up for consideration are the OBC Commission and National Medical Commission Bill. As per a report on PRS Legislature, the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill sets up a 25-member commission, which will regulate medical education and practice. It will determine fees for up to 40 percent seats in private medical institutions and deemed universities. However, as reported by The Quint, several doctors have criticised the bill and called it “anti-people and anti-poor”, and said it would “cripple” the medical profession. With inputs from agencies