New Delhi: BJP MPs will introduce private members’ bills on population control and uniform civil code in the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament. This information was provided from the secretariats of both Houses. The private members’ bill on population control comes close on the heels of the law commission of BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in India, putting up a draft bill on the issue on its website, inviting suggestions from the public till July 19.
BJP Lok Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh Ravi Kishan and Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan Kirori Lal Meena are scheduled to introduce the private members’ bills on population control and uniform civil code respectively in the very first week of the Parliament session which is starting from July 19.
A bill introduced by a member other than a minister is known as a private member’s bill. There is little possibility of it becoming a law without the government’s support. In this case it is expected that the government will support the bill as it will be introduced by BJP members.
The proposed legislations on population control and uniform civil code, issues that usually trigger heated polemics in India, are in line with the BJP’s ideological agenda.
Opposition parties have criticised the BJP’s moves in this regard. They have claimed that the bills are aimed at targeting one specific community, while the BJP has accused them of pursuing appeasement politics.
According to the details available with Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats, Kishan and Meena will get an opportunity to introduce their respective private members’ bills July 24, which was decided through the lottery system.
A notice for a similar bill on population control has also been given by BJP MP in Rajya Sabha Rakesh Sinha.
The proposed legislations on population control emphasise on de-incentivising couples having more than two children, by making them ineligible for government jobs and subsidies on various facilities and goods given by the government.
The draft UP population control bill says people having more than two children will be debarred from contesting local body polls, applying for government jobs or receiving any kind of subsidy. Similar legislation is under discussion in another BJP-ruled state Assam.
According to PRS Legislative, no private members’ bills have been passed by Parliament since 1970. A total of 14 such bills have received Parliament’s nod.