The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday granted a leave of absence to 14 MPs, including former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and ex-Finance Minister P Chidambaram, for being unable to attend the monsoon session of the Parliament due to health reasons. Out of the 14 MPs, 11 have sought leave for the entire session citing their “vulnerable age category”.
The list also includes independent MP Dr Narendra Jadhav, Manas Ranjan Bhunia (TMC), Parimal Nathwani (YSRCP), A Navaneethkrishnan (AIADMK), Sushil Gupta (AAP), Oscar Fernandes (Congress), Dr Anbumani Ramadoss (MDMK), Hishey Lachungpa (SDF), V Lakshmikantha Rao (TRS), Parimal Nathwani (YSRCP), Mahendra Prasad (JDU), KG Kenye (NPF) and Banda Prakash (TRS).
Meanwhile, 80-year-old former PM HD Deve Gowda hasn’t attended the Parliament’s monsoon session, so far, and is expected to stay away in view of his age.
Other MPs who’ve chosen to remain absent are Trinamool Congress’ Rajya Sabha deputy floor leader Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Subrata Bakshi, Sisir Adhikari, and Choudhury Mohan Jatu. All of them fall in the vulnerable 60+ age category.
At least nine Lok Sabha MPs, including Congress’ debutant Rajya Sabha MP Deepinder Hooda, have been infected with and recovering from Covid-19. At present, two MPs each from the Congress and BJP, one each from TMC, AIADMK, AAP and TRS, are reeling under the coronavirus disease.
The monsoon session of Parliament was kicked off on Monday with special security arrangements to deal with the unprecedented Covid-19 situation. The Health Ministry had laid down strict protocols, which included social distancing, compulsory masks and a mandatory Covid-19 test. All the members of the Parliament are required to test negative for the virus and the certificate is needed to be produced through an RT-PCR test so as to attend the monsoon session.
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