Venkaiah Naidu speaks in 10 languages in Rajya Sabha as Monsoon Session begins

New Delhi: As the Monsoon Session of Parliament began on Wednesday, Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu spoke in 10 different languages in the upper house to inform the members about the availability of Simultaneous Interpretation Service. Even though the speeches were brief, the Vice President talked in Bangla, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu.

The Monsoon Session, which concludes on August 10, will have 18 sittings amid much-expected drama in both the houses - Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.

While the government prepares to get key bills passed in the Monsoon session, the Congress backed by several Opposition parties moved a no-confidence motion against the Prime Miniter Narendra Modi-led government.

On Tuesday, PM Modi chaired an all-party meeting during which he appealed to the leaders to allow smooth functioning of the two houses of Parliament. The government has listed a substantive legislative business for the Monsoon Session. This includes 48 items including 46 Bills and two financial matters. 

The bills prioritised by the government include The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill or the anti-instant triple talaq bill and The Constitution (123rd  Amendment) Bill, that gives Constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes.

The National Medical Commission Bill, The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, The Consumer Protection Bill, The Dam Safety Bill and Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill are also high on government's agenda.

Six bills replacing ordinances promulgated in the inter-session period are also high on government's agenda. These include The Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance; The Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance; The Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts (Amendment) Ordinance; The Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Ordinance; The National Sports University Ordinance; and The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance.

(With Agency inputs)