Centre Passing Bills with ‘Zero Scrutiny’, Says TMC’s Derek O’Brien

The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday accused the government of pushing bills through Parliament without proper scrutiny, and said a united opposition would not allow itself to be “steamrolled”.

O’Brien’s charge

TMC MP and national spokesperson Derek O’Brien alleged that the government had used its “brute majority” in the Lok Sabha to force through what he called a “faulty RTI Bill”. In a tweet, he said three bills had been listed for passage in the Rajya Sabha that day, none of them scrutinised, and asked whether the opposition was expected to be a silent spectator.

On Tuesday he had said he would not be surprised if the RTI Bill were listed in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, and that the opposition would do what it takes to protect parliamentary democracy. He said 14 bills had already been passed without being examined by parliamentary committees.

The bills

Two bills were listed for consideration and passage in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. One was the Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019; the other amends the law on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences. The Lok Sabha passed the RTI amendment on Monday over opposition objections that it would weaken the law and turn the transparency body into a “toothless tiger”. The bill would let the government set the salaries, tenure and other service terms of information commissioners.

See also: Election news | Lok Sabha members

Originally published on 24 July 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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