RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Aug 4: The Jharkhand assembly today cleared two bills ignoring the opposition’s proposal to send them to the select committee for their proper scrutiny.
The two bills include Jharkhand University of Health Sciences Bill 2023 tabled by Health and Family Welfare Minister Banna Gupta and Jharkhand Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill 2023 tabled by finance minister Rameshwar Oraon.
The BJP legislators supported by Ajsu and CPI (ML) opposed the university bill saying that it provides the post of chancellor to the Chief Minister instead of the Governor, which is like devaluating the Governor and an attack on the federal system. Amar Bouri termed it just like a gifting post of chancellor to the chief minister by a health minister.
Health Minister Gupta, however, justified the bill saying it was the need of the hour. On the provision of giving the Chancellor’s position to the CM, Gupta said it was not for the first time it was happening in the country. Earlier, he said, three universities were established in Bihar having provision of the chief minister as chancellor.
CPL (ML) legislator Binod Singh suggested sending the goods and service tax bill to the select committee but Finance Minister Rameshwar Oraon ignored the same explaining the importance of its immediate clearance. Oraon said the bill has already been passed by the centre and has just come for the approval of the state and delay in its clearance will adversely affect the income of the state.
Oraon explained the system of drafting the bill and said the bill has come to the assembly after proper discussion in the GST council, which is a body of finance ministers of all states chaired by the union finance minister. He said a similar bill has been passed by all the states.
Earlier, when the house proceedings began in the second half the Congress legislators lashed out at BJP for restoring Rahul Gandhi’s membership in the House, saying the Supreme Court has made it clear that the central government deliberately killed democracy.
There is a wave of happiness in the Congress on the relief to Rahul Gandhi from the Supreme Court. After this decision came on the last day of the monsoon session of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly, State Congress President Rajesh Thakur reached the assembly and said that the truth has won.
“Truth can be troubled but not defeated. This is the victory of Rahul Gandhi who opened the shop of love in the market of hatred. Anyway, the people of the country chose Congress in the last several elections and told the BJP that now their shop of hatred is not going to run,” Thakur said.
Thakur said that Rahul Gandhi’s intention was not the same as presented by the BJP. He said Lalit Modi and Nirav Modi are really fugitives and thieves. The BJP tried to spread unrest from Manipur to Haryana and also in Jharkhand but it did not succeed,” he added. Party workers distributed Laddoos outside the assembly.
