Private Bill on Population Control Falsely Attributed to Govt

The bill was introduced as a private member’s bill by Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai in the Rajya Sabha on 7 February.

A viral message falsely claimed that the Constitution (Amendment) Bill has been introduced as a government bill in the Rajya Sabha.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

CLAIM

A viral message on social media claims that the bill to control population by legally allowing families to have only two children has been introduced in the Rajya Sabha by Prime Minster Narendra Modi-led government.

The text of the bills reads: “The State shall promote small family norms by offering incentives in taxes, employment, education etc. to its people who keep their family limited to two children and shall withdraw every concession from and deprive such incentives to those not adhering to small family norm, to keep the growing population under control.”

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/ Screengrab)

The message is being widely circulated on Twitter and Facebook with the same claim.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/ Screengrab)

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook/ Screengrab)

The Quint also received a query about the claim made in the viral message on its WhatsApp helpline.

(Photo Courtesy: WhatsApp/ Screengrab)

WHAT’S THE TRUTH?

We searched on Google using keywords ‘Constitution amendment bill’ and found an article published by The Print on Wednesday, 12 February that mentioned Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai had introduced Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2020 on Friday, 7 February, as a private member bill in the Rajya Sabha.

We searched the Rajya Sabha website and in the ‘List of Business’ on 7 February, we found that Anil Desai had indeed introduced a private bill - Constitution (Amendment) Bill (highlighted in red).

In the list of business on 7 February, we found that Anil Desai had introduced a private bill.(Photo Courtesy: Rajya Sabha/ Screengrab)

The full text of the bill can be read here.

WHAT IS A PRIVATE MEMBER BILL?

A member of Parliament (MP) who is not a minister is referred to as a private member. Private member bills are tabled by non-minister MPs. On the other hand, the government bills are introduced by ministers. These bills are backed by the government.

In Rajya Sabha, it’s the chairman who decides the admissibility of a private bill while in the case of the Lok Sabha, it’s the speaker. Further, a government Bill can be tabled and discussed on any day, a private bill can only be introduced and discussed on Fridays.

Clearly, a private member’s bill is being falsely shared to claim that it’s a government bill introduced by Narendra Modi- led government.

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