Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh went to Parliament in a wheelchair on Monday to attend Rajya Sabha proceedings, despite his illness, to vote against the Delhi Services Bill which was later passed by the House.
While the opposition praised Manmohan Singh for his “honesty”, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) termed it “extremely shameful”.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha thanked the former prime minister for his presence in the House and said, “Today, in the Rajya Sabha, Manmohan Singh stood as a beacon of honesty and especially came to vote against the black ordinance. His unwavering commitment to democracy and the Constitution is a deep inspiration. My sincere gratitude to him for his invaluable support. Thank you, sir.”
The 90-year-old Congress veteran’s presence in the Rajya Sabha led to a war of words between the opposition and the BJP.
BJP taunted the Congress and said, “The country will remember this madness of the Congress! Congress kept a former Prime Minister in a wheelchair late at night even in such health in Parliament, that too just to keep their dishonest alliance alive! Very shameful!”
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate attacked the BJP for its comments on Manmohan Singh’s presence in the Rajya Sabha and said it showed the former prime minister’s “faith in democracy”.
Apart from Manmohan Singh, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) ailing Sivu Soren was also present in the upper house.
In a blow to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Government of Delhi’s National Capital Region (Amendment) Bill, 2023 or Delhi Services Bill, was passed in the Rajya Sabha.
The bill passed with 131 votes in favor and 101 against. The bill, which was a point of contention between the Aam Aadmi Party and the Centre, was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 3.
