Members across party lines expressed their views on the two legislations, including from the BJP, the Congress, the TDP, and the DMK.
Published Feb 06, 2024 | 6:42 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 06, 2024 | 6:43 PM
The new Parliament building. (Creative Commons)
The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, 6 February, passed two Bills which seek to modify the list of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
The Upper House cleared the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024, by voice vote.
The first Bill seeks to modify the list of Scheduled Tribes in Andhra Pradesh, while the second one seeks to modify the list of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Odisha.
The list of Scheduled Tribes of Andhra Pradesh was last modified vide, the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 (No 6 of 2014).
On the basis of the recommendation of the state government of Andhra Pradesh and after consultation with the Registrar General of India and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes. It is proposed to modify the list of Scheduled Tribes in respect of the State of Andhra Pradesh by amending the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.
The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024 proposed to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 in the Schedule to include the following castes in the ST list: Bondo Porja, Khond Porja, Konda Savaras.
“All these are part of Primitive Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) and they have been added to the scheduled list after 75 years of independence,” Munda added.
After completion of the Question Hour at 1 pm, the House adopted a motion moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi to suspend the provisions of Rule 17 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha for consideration and passing of three Bills: The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024; the Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024; and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Bill, 2024.
Thereafter, Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda moved the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and The Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024 for consideration and passing in the Rajya Sabha.
One Bill seeks to modify the list of Scheduled Tribes in Andhra Pradesh and the other is to modify the list of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Odisha by including more communities in the list.
Members across party lines expressed their views on the two legislations, including from the BJP, the Congress, the TDP, the DMK, the Trinamool Congress, the BJD and the AIADMK.
Santanu Sen of the TMC said “While standing to speak on this Bill, it really gives me pain when I recall that the respected President of India who belongs to a tribal community is not invited during the inauguration of this new Parliament building or the Pran Pratishtha in Ayodhya. This reflects how this government respects the tribal communities at large.”
L Hanumanthaiah of the Congress sought to know why the government cannot look at the whole Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes list afresh and make it an inclusive list of SCs and STs across the country at a time so that this problem will not be there and every now and then we need not have to amend these Bills from time to time.
(With PTI inputs)
