JOURNALS OF THE RAJYA SABHA (HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-SEVENTH SESSION) THURSDAY, THE 21ST OCTOBER, 1999 (The Rajya Sabha met in the Parliament House at 11-00 a.m.) 1. National Anthem National Anthem was played. 11-02 a.m. 2. Oath or Affirmation The following Members made and subscribed oath/affirmation and took their seats in the House: — ASSAM Dr. (Shrimati) Joyasree Goswami Mahanta GOA Shri Eduardo Faleiro GUJARAT 1. Shri Lalitbhai Mehta 2. Shri Ahmed Patel 3.Shrimati Savita Sharda WEST BENGAL 1. Shrimati Sarla Maheshwari 2. Shri Pranab Mukherjee 3. Shri Abani Roy 4. Shri Jibon Roy 5. Shri Shankar Roy Chowdhury 11-09 a.m. 3. Welcome to New Members The Deputy-Chairman welcomed the new Members. 21ST OCTOBER, 1999 11-10 a.m. 4. Announcement regarding the Leader of the House The Deputy -Chairman made the following announcement: — "I have to inform Members that the Prime Minister has nominated Shri Jaswant Singh to be the Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha." 11-11 a.m. 5. Obituary References The Deputy-Chairman made references to the passing away of: — 1. Shri Julius Nyerere, former President of Tanzania; 2. Shri Salay Mohammad Sait (ex-Member); 3. Shrimati Sharda Bhargava (ex-Member); 4. Shri Adityendra (ex-Member); 5. Shri Virendra Kumar Sakhalecha (ex-Member); 6. Shri K.K. Madhavan (ex-Member); 7. Shri T.V. Anandan (ex-Member); 8. Shri Parag Chaliha; 9. Shri K.N. Singh (ex-Member); 10. Thakur Jagatpal Singh (ex-Member); 11. Shri Lalsawia (ex-Member); 12. Shri Kalpnath Rai (ex-Member); 13. Shri Maqsood Ali Khan (ex-Member); 14. Shri Ish Dutt Yadav; and 15. Shri R.K. Kumar. The House observed silence, all Members standing, as a mark of respect to the memory of the departed. 11-30 a.m. 6. Reference to victims of cyclone in Orissa The Deputy Chairman made a reference to the severe cyclonic storm that struck the coastal Orissa in the early hours on the 18th October, 1999 and expressed heartfelt condolences and strong sense of solidarity of the House for the affected families of those who lost their lives in the tragedy. The House observed silence, all Members standing, as a mark of respect to the victims of the tragedy. 21ST OCTOBER AND 25TH OCTOBER, 1999 11-32 a.m. 7. Resignations by Members The Deputy-Chairman informed the Members that the Chairman had received letters from Dr. Karan Singh, representing the State of Jammu and Kashmir, Shri M. Rajasekara Murthy and Shri S.M. Krishna, representing the State of Karnataka and Shri Yerra Narayanaswamy, representing the State of Andhra Pradesh, resigning their seats in Rajya Sabha. The Chairman, Rajya Sabha, had accepted their resignations with effect from 12th August, 1999, 23rd August, 1999, 14th October, 1999 and 21st October, 1999, respectively. 11-34 a.m. 8. Felicitations to the Deputy-Chairman Shri Jaswant Singh, Leader of the House and Minister of External Affairs, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Leader of the Opposition, Leaders of various parties/groups and some other Members felicitated Dr. (Shrimati) Najma Heptulla, Deputy-Chairman, Rajya Sabha on her unanimous election as President of the Inter-Parliamentary Council. Dr. (Shrimati) Najma Heptulla thanked the Members for the felicitations. 12 Noon (The House adjourned at 12 Noon till 11.00 a.m. on Monday the 25th October, 1999.) .