New Delhi, Aug 2 (IANS): The Congress on Wednesday slammed the government after the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was passed by the Rajya Sabha saying that the substance of the amendments have been bulldozed through in Parliament, reflects the mindset of the Modi government, and the vast gap that exists between its global talk and domestic walk on the environment, forests and the rights of adivasis and other forest-dwelling communities

Congress said that the journey of the Bill to soon becoming a law is a case study on how to completely subvert the legislative process

Former union environment minister and senior Congress leader Jairma Ramesh said that the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023 was first introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 29, 2023.

He said that this Bill makes several far-reaching and radical amendments to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.

“The journey of the Bill to soon becoming law is a case study on how to completely subvert the legislative process,” Ramesh, who is also the Congress general secretary communication incharge said.

He asserted that the Bill should have been referred to the Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change that he chairs.

“I had taken serious objections to this and put them on record as well not once but twice. Instead, a Joint Committee of Parliament (JCP) was set up with a ruling party MP as its chair.

He stressed that be that as it may, “the JCP submitted its report on July 20”.

“Extraordinarily and perhaps in an unprecedented move, the report suggested no changes whatsoever to the Bill as introduced by the government. However, six MPs submitted detailed notes of dissent, with which I associate myself fully. The Lok Sabha passed the Bill on July 27, 2023, and today it has been bulldozed in the Rajya Sabha in the din, without any meaningful debate. The Bill has drawn wide-spread criticisms over the past few months and continues to evoke great concern,” he said.

He also highlighted the objections that he had made in the proposed amendments.

“Thus, both the substance of the amendments and the manner they have been bulldozed through in Parliament, reflect the mindset of the Modi Government, and the vast gap that exists between its global talk and domestic walk on the environment, forests and the rights of adivasis and other forest-dwelling communities,” the former environment minister said.

His remarks came after the Bill was passed in Rajya Sabha. The Opposition MPs had staged a walkout in the Rajya Sabha over their demand for a detailed discussion on Manipur and a statement by the Prime Minister on the Manipur issues in both Houses of Parliament.