(FE)
On Monday, all eyes in the Rajya Sabha will be on BJP President Amit Shah. The reason being Shah’s debut speech in Rajya Sabha in which he will move the motion of thanks to the President’s address. Although Shah was elected last year from Gujarat, he will be addressing the Upper House for the first time tomorrow. According to The Indian Express, Shah will have this to say on the motion: “That the Members of the Rajya Sabha assembled in this Session are deeply grateful to the President for the Address which he has been pleased to deliver to both Houses of Parliament assembled together on January 29, 2018.” Rajya Sabha will discuss the motion of thanks over Monday and Tuesday where the House has decided to sit till 8 pm to make up for lost time.
Notably, the BJP stalwart was to make his first speech on January 4 this year, the last working day of the Winter Session, when the House was to consider the Goods and Service Tax (Compensation to States) Amendment Bill, but things didn’t go according to plans and as the GST bill could not be taken up due to Opposition protests against Triple Talaq Bill as per PTI. The Opposition wanted the Bill to be referred to a Select Committee but the government was not keen. The GST discussion did not happen either. Shah had to speak on the GST to clear BJP’s stand on several issues related to the taxation law. Hence, the BJP President’s maiden speech will give him the chance to speak about the Triple Talaq Bill that was opposed by the Opposition, Muslim Women (Protection of Rights of Marriage) Bill or the GST.
