PM Modi anguished by TMC's 'Papri Chaat or laws' quip; urges BJP to up Parl productivity

Amid Parliament logjam over Pegasus and Farm protests, PM Modi expressed concern over the dip in productivity while chairing a BJP parliamentary meeting. Urging his MPs to make efforts to improve productivity in the remaining time, PM Modi said that the ruckus created by the Opposition by tearing papers and throwing it was arrogance. After the meeting, Union parliamentary affairs minister Prahlad Joshi informed that PM Modi was anguished by TMC MP Derek O'Brien's analogy of passing laws and preparing 'Papri Chaat'. 

PM urges MPs to increase productivity

TMC: 'Bills or Papri chaat?'

On Monday, TMC MP Derek O'Brien pointed out that either Houses have passed 12 Bills in the past 10 days. Clocking an average time of under seven minutes of debate, O'Brien questioned if Parliament was passing legislation or papri chaat. As per PRS, Lok Sabha has clocked 14% productivity while Rajya Sabha clocked 21% productivity this session.

O'Brien listed the four bills passed in Rajya Sabha under 10 minutes of debate - Marine aids to navigation, Juvenile Justice Bill, Factoring Regulation and Coconut Development Board - with the last being passed in a minute of discussion. Similarly, in Lok Sabha, eight bills have passed under 15 minutes of debate - Factoring regulation, National instituted of Food technology and management, Insolvency and Bankruptcy, Supplementary demands for grants, Appropriation No. 3 & 4, Inland vessels and Airports economic regulatory authority of India.  The Parliament's monsoon session which started on July 19, will end on August 13.

Parliament chaos affects productivity

The Rajya Sabha secretariat stated that the House has lost 40 out of 50 working hours till date due to continual adjournments as the Opposition continues to protest against Pegasus allegations.  "Of the total 50 working hours available, 39 hours 52 minutes have been lost due to disruptions. A mere 1 hour 38 minutes of Question Hour out of its 9 dedicated hours," stated RS secretariat. While the Centre has laid a statement on the Pegasus spyware issue, no debate has happened on the issue, as demanded by the Opposition.

In Lok Sabha, as per PRS, the session has functioned only for 8.6 hours with questions taking the highest share of time. With low productivity of 14%, Lok Sabha has devoted 45.7% of the time to questions, 13.2% to legislation, 13.4% to non-legislation and 25.9% to other issues. Inspite of repeated adjournment notices, no debate has been held on Farmers' protests, Pegasus issue. Amid a rise in COVID cases in some states, Lok Sabha has earmarked a discussion on the COVID situation on Friday.