Opposition plans to amend motion of thanks in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: The government could face a repeat of last year’s embarrassment when the Upper House amended the motion of thanks to the President’s address. Congress and Left parties have begun floor management on voting on the motion that will take place after PM Modi’s reply.

Though several amendments have been moved, a bunch of three amendments moved by Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, CPM leader Sitaram Yechury and CPI leader D Raja appear to have the potential to rally the entire opposition to corner the government. Azad has moved an amendment against making educational qualification mandatory for contesting panchayat elections, hoping opposition members will rally together as the change hits grassroots level politics. Congress president Sonia Gandhi had in her speech in the Lok Sabha on women’s day, lamented about the move to introduce mandatory educational qualification.

Left-parties have moved an amendment against the move to scrap the minority educational institution status to the AMU. Another amendment that holds the potential to rally Opposition is expressing regret that there was no mention of “rising intolerance” in the country and about the “disturbing developments” in universities, especially at JNU and Hyderabad university, in the President’s speech.

Moves are afoot to ensure floor coordination to ensure one of the amendments are passed this year as well to embarrass the government for its ‘belligerent’ outlook towards political opponents. Congress hopes to garner support from fence-sitters. In the Lok Sabha last week, the Congress supported an amendment to the motions of thanks moved by B Mahtab of the BJD, its political opponent in Odisha. Though Mahtab’s motion was voted and defeated in the Lok Sabha, the Congress hopes that the fence-sitter may lend support to the Opposition’s motion on Wednesday.