After the Modi government on Tuesday faced embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha when an amendment moved by the Opposition to the President's Address — over corruption and black money — was passed through Division of Votes, an 'unhappy' Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought explanation from members of BJP and NDA allies for being absent in the Rajya Sabha.
PM Narendra Modi asked BJP and NDA ally members to explain their absence in the Rajya Sabha. AFP
"All these members including couple of ministers who were absent in the House during voting have been asked to explain the reasons of their absence," The Times of India quoted a source as saying.
The report also said that 10 out of 46 BJP members and 12 from NDA allies were absent in the House when the Opposition moved the amendment and called for division of votes.
The amendment had been moved by CPI(M) members Sitaram Yechury and P Rajeev and it was passed through Division of Votes after the government's plea for withdrawal of the step failed.
"There is no mention in the address about the failure of the government to curb high level corruption and to bring back black money," read the amendment.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu tried to dissuade "senior member" Yechury from moving the amendment, saying there was a mention about black money.
Yechury said normally he would accept such a request, but he was pressing for the amendment as the government had left no choice as even after 14 hours of debate, Opposition was denied opportunity to seek clarification on the Prime Minister's reply.
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This is the fourth time in Rajya Sabha's history that an amendment moved by the Opposition to the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address has been passed.
The previous times such a thing happened was on 30 January, 1980, during Janata Party rule, then on 29 December, 1989, during VP Singh-led National Front and third time on 12 March, 2001 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government was in power.
(With inputs from PTI)
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