MP Supriya Sule Emerges As Best Performer In Lok Sabha Second Time

Three-time MP of Baramati, Supriya Sule has kept her performance track record at the absolute top in the first session of the 17^th Lok Sabha. The first session concluded on August 6 and National Congress Party leader Sule’s performance went beyond the national average in all aspects including attendance, debates, private member bills raised etc.

While the national average among members of the Parliament attending the house is 88 percent, Sule’s attendance in this Lok Sabha session was at 97 percent, as per PRS data. She raised the most number of debates—a total of 45, whereas the national average is a meagre 7.7 percent. In terms of the number of questions an MP asks in the Lok Sabha, Sule’s tally is at 110 questions in contrast with 18 questions, which is the national average. Finally, Sule also presented the maximum number of private member bills with four bills including The Companies (Amendment) Bill, The Indian Post Office (Amendment) Bill, The Payment of Financial Assistance to the Families of Martyrs Bill and The Youth Skill Training Bill. All of these remain pending in the Lok Sabha.

“I tried my best to raise several key questions, be it about local and state issues or issues of national importance." - Supriya Sule

ALSO READ: Death Penalty For Child Abusers: POCSO Bill Passed In Lok Sabha

Her questions were around issues like Smart Cities, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Kashmir issue, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, animal welfare NGOs, the National Family Health Survey, juvenile homes, healthcare facilities in rural areas, renewable energy in North-East, shortage of manpower in NIA, security at airports, fire accidents in coal mines, suicide by farmers and suicide by defence personnel etc.

“I tried my best to raise several key questions, be it about local and state issues or issues of national importance,” Sule told The Indian Express.

This isn’t a new achievement for the politician who is also a social rights crusader. Sule has been consistently performing exceedingly well right from when she became an MP for the first time in 2009. The daughter of NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, Sule raised 1181 questions in the  16th Lok Sabha, making her the most active MP in debates, while the average number of questions asked by any MP was 251 questions.

ALSO READ: Sharad Pawar’s NCP To Field More Women In Assembly Elections

The close contenders in raising queries in the 16^th Lok Sabha were Shivajirao Adhalrao-Patil, the three-time Shiv Sena MP from Shirur, who asked 1,101 questions and his party colleague, Maval MP Shrirang Barne, who asked 1,110 questions.

While the national average in members of the Parliament attending the house is 88 percent, Sule’s attendance in Lok Sabha was at 97 percent, as per PRS data. She raised the most number of debates—a total of 45 whereas the national average is a meagre 7.7 percent.

“Supriya Sule has emerged as the best MP on all counts while I am the second best…,” said Barne.

Sule has been a strong campaigner for the rights of the transgender community in the country. Even in the latest Lok Sabha session, she supported the cause by asking the Centre to involve the LGBT community in the National Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, that was passed in the Lok Sabha recently. She said, “The whole bill that we are discussing has to be gender-neutral, it's not just about women and children. Why is the LGBT group not included? Human Rights is not only about 'terrorists' or ‘police’.” She has also spoken about various other gender rights issues like women’s reservation bill, female foeticide etc.

Picture credit- The Print