Unless we get a firm commitment that in this very Session the Government would bring a Bill for giving Statehood to Andaman and Nicobar Islands, I am helpless but to withdraw this Bill. This is the demand of the people of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. We must respect their aspirations, their desires and their dreams to have a State Legislature like the other States. Why are they being discriminated? This discrimination should not be there. I request the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs to clarify the position.
THE MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS AND MINISTER OF TOURISM (SHRI SRIKANT JENA): My colleague Dar Saheb has already explained the position. I just had a talk with the Prime Minister. Let me clarify the position from the Government side. I would request the hon. Member to withdraw the Bill and simultaneously, I assure the House that there will be an all party meeting and in that meeting if there is a consensus... (Interruptions)
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA (BANKURA): There is a consensus.
SHRI SRIKANT JENA: That all party leaders' meeting will be called in this Session itself and we will take a view in that meeting itself. If there is a consensus in that leaders' meeting, the Government will certainly and positively react to that.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA (BANKURA): But there is a consensus in the House... (Interruptions)
SHRI SRIKANT JENA: I agree, but the only point... (Interruptions) The Government will not stand in the way, it will certainly consider it. It is a firm assurance from the Government side. The all party leaders' meeting will be called in the next week itself... (Interruptions) While I am giving all respect to the House and the Government has taken note of the sentiments of the entire House... (Interruptions)
KUMARI MAMATA BANERJEE (CALCUTTA SOUTH): This is a Private Member's Bill and the Members have every right to have their say... (Interruptions)
SHRI SRIKANT JENA: I fully agree with you, but the only thing that I want to say is that assuring that immediately the Government will give Statehood is not possible.
The Government assures that if there is a consensus in the Leaders' Meeting, then certainly the Government will positively react to that. ...(Interruptions)
KUMARI MAMATA BANERJEE (CALCUTTA SOUTH): Are all the Members beggars? They are not beggars. They are supreme. We are not beggars. ...(Interruptions)
SHRI SRIKANT JENA: I will also convey the sentiments of the House in that meeting. The Government is positively reacting to your demand, in the sense that an all-party meeting will be called next week and a positive decision will be taken ...(Interruptions)
SHRI HANNAN MOLLAH (ULUBERIA): All the political parties are agreeing to this and only the bureaucrats are opposing to this. ...(Interruptions)
SHRI MANORANJAN BHAKTA (ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS): It is because of the bureaucrats, this has not been accepted. ...(Interruptions)
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA (BANKURA): Why can you not say that you will bring a Bill after having a meeting with all the party leaders? ...(Interruptions)
SHRI SRIKANT JENA: Exactly that is what I was going to tell you ...(Interruptions)
SHRI MANORANJAN BHAKTA (ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS): You categorically say as to when you are going to bring this Bill. ...(Interruptions)
SHRI SRIKANT JENA: I have already categorically said that we will hold an all-party meeting on this and if there is a consensus, then a Bill can be introduced in this Session itself. ...(Interruptions)
SHRI BHAGWAN SHANKAR RAWAT (AGRA):
MR. CHAIRMAN (SHRI CHITTA BASU): Shri Acharia was on his legs.
... (Interruptions)
SHRI SRIKANT JENA: I request the hon. Member, Shri Acharia to kindly withdraw his Bill since the Government is responding to his Bill and in the next week we are holding the leaders' meeting ...(Interruptions) In this Session, we are up to 9th May ....(Interruptions) I would request Shri Acharia to withdraw his Bill. ...(Interruptions)
KUMARI MAMATA BANERJEE (CALCUTTA SOUTH): We want voting on this Bill. We want division ...(Interruptions)
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA (BANKURA): What is the difficulty in accepting this Bill? It is a non-controversial one. ...(Interruptions)
KUMARI MAMATA BANERJEE (CALCUTTA SOUTH): We want division ...(Interruptions)
SHRI SRIKANT JENA: I have already responded to it. Even the Congress Chief Whip, Shri Sontosh Mohan Dev has suggested that the Government can call an all-party meeting on this. I am responding to that. ...(Interruptions)
SHRI P.M. SAYEED (LAKSHADWEEP): I am the Deputy Chief Whip of my party ...(Interruptions)
SHRI SRIKANT JENA: Shri Sontosh Mohan Dev has suggested in the same way ...(Interruptions) I am responding to that. ...(Interruptions)
SHRI P.M. SAYEED (LAKSHADWEEP): The BJP also has supported it. Mr. Parliamentary Affairs Minister, do not denigrate this House. The whole House is unanimously supporting this Bill. ...(Interruptions)
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA (BANKURA): What is the difficulty in accepting this Bill? ...(Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: The Government's position has been made clear by the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs. Shri Acharia, you as a Mover of the Bill, please conclude your speech. Then, let us see what is to be done.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA (BANKURA): Sir, I have already concluded my speech. ...(Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: Shri Acharia, have you concluded your speech?
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA (BANKURA): Yes, Sir. (ends)
... (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: Shri Acharia, have you withdrawn the Bill?
... (Interruptions)
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA (BANKURA): At this moment, I want a firm commitment from the Government because there is a consensus on this. What more consensus does he require? ...(Interruptions)
SHRI MANORANJAN BHAKTA (ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS): There is a full consensus on this and all the parties have supported this Bill. ...(Interruptions)
KUMARI MAMATA BANERJEE (CALCUTTA SOUTH): We are not beggars. ...(Interruptions)
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA (BANKURA): Sir, all the parties have wholeheartedly supported this Bill. ...(Interruptions)
SHRI V. DHANANJAYA KUMAR (MANGALORE): Mr. Chairman, Sir, he is trying to exert pressure on Shri Basudeb Acharia ...(Interruptions)
SHRI SRIKANT JENA: Let us not make it a political issue. The Government is taking steps ...(Interruptions)
SHRI V. DHANANJAYA KUMAR (MANGALORE): It is not a political issue. (Interruptions) It is the firm opinion of the House that the Bill must be adopted and that the Bill must be passed. You, please do not exert pressure on him. Please allow him to wholeheartedly pass this Bill.
KUMARI MAMATA BANERJEE (CALCUTTA SOUTH): If you assure that you will bring a Bill in this Session itself, then we will allow him to withdraw. Otherwise, we will not allow him to withdraw the Bill.
KUMARI MAMATA BANERJEE (CALCUTTA SOUTH): No. (Interruptions)
SHRI SRIKANT JENA: Let me complete. What I said was that whatever will be in the meeting of the leaders of different political parties, the Government will certainly bring a Bill in this Session itself.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA (BANKURA): Why is it `subject to that meeting'? Is it because... (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN (SHRI CHITTA BASU): Shri Basu Deb Acharia, please one at a time. This is not the way.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA (BANKURA): You give a firm commitment that in this very Session itself, you will bring a Bill to provide Statehood to Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
SHRI SRIKANT JENA: I have said that to bring a Bill and for other formalities, I have to call for an all-party meeting.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA (BANKURA): No.
... (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: This is not the question between you and an individual Member.
... (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: Hon. Members, Mr. Acharia and Mr. Jena, please do not make it an issue between you and an individual Member. It is not the question between an individual Member and an hon. Minister.
... (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: You have not been allowed to speak. Therefore, from the Government side, they had made their position clear and you have to respond to it and in this respect the House should be conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner. Shri Sayeed, please give your views.
SHRI P.M. SAYEED (LAKSHADWEEP): Shri Jena has given a categorical assurance that a Bill for the Statehood of Andaman and Nicobar Islands would be brought in this very Session. Is it that that statement he has made? I want to know that. There should not be any conditional objection. There cannot be because the Bill has already been introduced, discussed and even if Shri Basu Deb Acharia wants to withdraw, that will be with the consent of the House. Neither he can do it nor you can do it. Mr. Chairman, I want the Minister to give this categorical assurance.
MR. CHAIRMAN: You are right. I want the Minister to...
... (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: Please one at a time. Would you kindly formulate the position of the Government in this respect?
SHRI SRIKANT JENA: Why I said a meeting of the leaders is required, is because of two reasons. There is a demand for the Statehood and there is a demand within the Union Territory that there should be a Legislature. So these two things - whether we should go for the Statehood or we should go for only Legislature - have to be finalised. Therefore, a meeting has to be required. Therefore, I only appeal to you to please withdraw the Bill.
SHRI MANORANJAN BHAKTA (ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS): We agree to that.
SHRI SRIKANT JENA: Therefore let us decide in the meeting.(Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: Hon. Members, I want to say that when he is making out his point, you please keep silence and listen to his reply.
SHRI SRIKANT JENA: Therefore, whether it is Statehood or within the Union Territory a Legislature, has to be sorted out in the leaders' meeting. Therefore, I suggested that the Government respects the sentiments of this august House and the Government will positively respond to that. The only formality is to call a meeting in the next week and in this Session itself, we will bring a Bill as decided in the meeting itself.
SHRI BHAGWAN SHANKAR RAWAT (AGRA):
... (´ªÉ´ÉvÉÉxÉ)
MR. CHAIRMAN: Mr. Acharia, this is not the way.
SHRI MANORANJAN BHAKTA (ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS): Sir, I want to seek one clarification. This is an important point.
MR. CHAIRMAN (SHRI CHITTA BASU): Shri Basu Deb Acharia, please say whether you are willing to withdraw the Bill. (Interruptions)
SHRI MANORANJAN BHAKTA (ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS): I want to seek some clarifications. (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: No; this is not the way.
SHRI V. DHANANJAYA KUMAR (MANGALORE): I am on a point of order. (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: Shri Basu Deb Acharia, I have asked you.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA (BANKURA): In view of the assurance given by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs that in this very Session they will bring a Bill after discussions with all the political parties, I am withdrawing the Bill.
I beg to move for leave to withdraw the Bill to provide for the creation of a Legislative Assembly for the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
MR. CHAIRMAN: The question is:
"That leave be granted to withdraw the Bill to provide for the creation of a Legislative Assembly for the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto."
The motion was adopted.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA (BANKURA): I withdraw the Bill.
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