Opposition accuses govt of thrusting its legislative agenda in Parliament

New Delhi: The Opposition in Lok Sabha on Thursday accused the government of thrusting its legislative agenda on the House after it proposed to bring the controversial land acquisition bill next week.

As soon as Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Pratap Rudy read out a statement regarding government business for next week, Congress member Jyotiraditya Scindia protested, saying the land acquisition bill and the one regarding land border agreement with Bangladesh were not discussed in the Busines Advisory Committee meeting yesterday.

"On what basis is the government brining the bills when they were not discussed in BAC...It is better you disband BAC. You should also disband Parliamentary Committees as they have lost relevance," he said.

Saugata Roy (TMC) and Tathagata Satpathy (BJD) supported Scindia's contention saying the government should work in a transparent manner and not in a "hush hush" way.

Rudy said what was discussed in the BAC has already been tabled in the House and what he read out was government's plan on proposed legislations. He said the bills can be brought to Lok Sabha only after BAC allocates time.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the BAC report and the report on government business were two separate things which are being tabled in the House "week after week".

"But only this time confusion has arisen in your mind," he said.

Not satisfied with Jaitley's clarification, Scindia said when the issue of the land bill and the land border agreement was broached in BAC meeting, the government said there were no plans at present.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said the two reports are separate which have been tabled in the House and the matter should rest there. BAC meeting will be held next week where the issues should figure, she said.

The government will have to bring a fresh bill on land acquisition in the Lok Sabha as it had recently repromulgated an ordinance on the issue.

The land border agreement bill, brought by the previous UPA government, is pending with Rajya Sabha.