New Delhi: Stating that the Central Government has made several attempts to pass the Juvenile Justice Amendment Bill as a deterrent on rape cases involving adolescents, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Monday said the government could not succeed in its attempts, because the Congress was not cooperating and disrupting the House on one pretext or the other.
“It has been listed in this session on three occasions and was listed in the last session continuously for 12 days between July 22 and August 12, 2015. The government had made several attempts to pass this bill by listing several times in the Rajya Sabha, but could not succeed because obstruction politics of the Congress,” he said.
“Again today, when the matter came up, I stood up and said the government was willing for a discussion on the Juvenile justice, and we brought an additional agenda. I signed it, and then it came for a discussion. But, unfortunately, the Congress said they did not want to discuss it today and would discuss it tomorrow. I agreed, because I could not get it passed. I don’t have numbers,” said Naidu, who is also Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation.
“Tomorrow (on Tuesday), if the Congress permits, there will be a discussion on this issue, and we will be able to come some conclusion and we will be able to pass the bill. The bill will be a tribute to Nirbhaya,” he hoped.
“We should pass this Bill, in future such things do not re-occur and it acts as a deterrent. I am hopeful the Bill will be passed tomorrow,” said Naidu. (ANI)