Centre to debate JNU
Opposition parties say will not allow passage of any key Bill
As the government braces itself for the Budget Session of Parliament starting Tuesday, the Opposition parties made it clear they won’t allow the passage of any key bill in the first half of the session, and accused the government of “setting the agenda for disruption”. President Pranab Mukherjee will address the joint session on Tuesday.
While the government said it wants all issues, including the JNU row, to be discussed, the Opposition said it will allow only those bills to be passed on which there was general consensus.
At an all-party meeting called by parliamentary affairs minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, the Opposition leaders lamented that PM Narendra Modi and the BJP hadn’t acted against a single leader making “provocative” statements.
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan also called a meeting of leaders of all parties Monday evening, that was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ms Mahajan hoped the House will run smoothly and all issues to be discussed will be decided at a meeting of the business advisory committee on Tuesday. After the meeting, she said there was a consensus among all parties that Parliament should function.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said: “Contentious bills should not be brought. Bring only those bills on which there is general agreement. Bills like GST will not come in the first half.”
Asked if the GST Bill could be passed in the second half, Mallikarjun Kharge evaded a direct reply, saying a view will be taken then.
With the Opposition closing ranks to corner the government on the JNU issue, the BJP is of the view that it stands to gain by turning the debate into one between “nationalists and antinationals”.
The party has already submitted motions in both Houses for a discussion on the issue. The JNU issue is likely to come up on Wednesday in the Rajya Sabha, where the government is in a minority. During the meeting convened by Mr Naidu, which saw leaders from various parties including the BJP demanding an early debate on the JNU row, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury spoke of a “chilling parallel” between the current situation in India with that in Germany which led to rise of fascism.
“The government is setting the agenda for Parliament’s disruption even before its session has begun. We have seen this agenda of the BJP for the last threefour sessions,” he said.
Describing the meeting as “very positive”, Mr Naidu said all parties were in favour of running Parliament. He also said a number of regional parties felt they were not getting adequate time to raise issues due to disruptions. “Smaller parties had a complaint that they’re not able to raise issues due to the disruption. The government is ready to discuss all issues, including JNU and the Rohith suicide issue,” said Mr Naidu.