Trinamool Congress embarrasses government on MCI Bill in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: After voting against the Medical Council Bill in the Lok Sabha two days ago, key UPA constituent Trinamool Congress today embarrassed the Government in the Rajya Sabha by criticising the legislation.

During a discussion on the bill seeking to extend the tenure of the Board of Governors of the Medical Council of India (MCI) by one more year beyond May 14, P Bandyopadhyay (AITC) said, "I will keep my powder dry for some other day. I am slightly uncomfortable with the extension from two to three years the tenure of the Board of Governors."

Commenting on the proposed National Council for Human Resources for Health (NCHRH), he said this would be a move towards "heavy centralisation" in the medical field.

He said the new body proposes to encompass functioning of the Medical and Dental Councils, which are specialised bodies.

"We are moving from decentralisation to over-federalisation," Bandyopadhyay said.

During the debate, Trinamool leader and Minister of State for Health Sudip Bandyopadhyay was not present.

Four MPs of the Trinamool Congress had voted against the Bill during a division on it in the Lok Sabha.

Following this, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said that Trinamool Chief Mamata Banerjee has told him that she had not given her consent to party MPs for voting against the Bill and will ensure that it is not defeated in Rajya Sabha.

Taking part in the debate after the Bill was moved by Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, P Rajeeve (CPI-M) said the bill should be defeated.

He alleged that corruption was continuing in the Medical Council of India.

Levelling corruption charges against the Board of Governors appointed by the Government for running the MCI, Maya Singh (BJP) demanded that the Minister should explain why no step has been taken to resurrect the democratically elected MCI.