New Delhi, Aug 6 (PTI) Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha party leader Derek O'Brien on Wednesday welcomed the move by Rajya Sabha Chair to stop greeting MPs on their birthdays.
In a post on X, the TMC leader said he had made the suggestion in a blog last week regarding the same, as it consumed time which otherwise could be used for discussing issues faced by the country.
O'Brien, in the blog, had argued that wishing 200-plus members every year in the Rajya Sabha, at two minutes a member, adds up to over 400 minutes, which can be used by Parliament to discuss important issues facing the nation.
"Suggestion accepted. Thanks much..." O'Brien said in a post on X.
"On 1 Aug I'd suggested that Rajya Sabha Chair should stop wishing MPs on birthdays in Parliament. 400 minutes used up annually. Same time will now be used to discuss key national issues. Now b’day greetings stopped," he said.
In August so far, at least five Rajya Sabha MPs have their birthdays. No greetings were, however, made on the floor of the House.
In the blog, O'Brien had flagged the time spent on wishing members and suggested that the time could be used for addressing other businesses of the House.
"Not long ago, the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha introduced the practice of wishing MPs on their birthdays. Good thought or an avoidable self-indulgence?" the TMC leader said.
"Wishing 200 plus members every year, at two minutes a member, adds up to over 400 minutes. Maybe this time can be used by Parliament to discuss important issues facing the nation," he had said.