Govteyesa ‘fruitful’ session Will raise people’s issues, says Oppn

IN PARLIAMENT NDA regime keen to push through key legislation that have the potential to offer political dividends for the coalition

NEW DELHI: The government is looking forward to a “fruitful” monsoon session of Parliament, and has already reached out to the Opposition with assurance for debate on any subject of its choice, two ruling coalition leaders said.

Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar has called an all-party meeting on Tuesday morning to discuss the agenda for the monsoon session. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan will meet the leaders separately in the evening. Parliament’s monsoon session will take place from July 18 to August 10.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (Bjp)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is keen to push through important legislation that have the potential to offer political dividends for the ruling establishment ahead of the state assembly elections and next year’s Lok Sabha polls. It is particularly keen on the bill to create a national commission for Other Backward Castes. The Centre has also shortlisted the bill to criminalise instant Triple Talaq for passage during this session.

Senior functionaries of the government said that top priority in the legislative business would be accorded to get Parliament’s nod on the six ordinances that have been promulgated in the past few months. These are: The Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance, Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Ordinance, Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of HCS (Amendment) Ordinance and the National Sports University Ordinance.

“We want Parliament to function this time to take up bills and other issues of public importance,” BJP’S Rjaya Sabha MP Anil Baluni said. “The last session was a washout despite our best efforts. The Opposition’s behaviour was disappointing.”

The last session got washed out following uproar over Andhra Pradesh special status and the Cauvery water issues. The Telugu Desam Party and the YSR Congress Party also moved no-confidence motions against the Centre over denial of special category status to Andhra Pradesh, but they could not be taken for want to order in the house.

The BJP sees the bill related to backward classes in particular as a politically symbolic move ahead of polls, since this is a constituency it has been wooing. They will also be crucial in the assembly polls in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. NEWDELHI: As Opposition parties aim to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (Bjp)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Parliament during the upcoming monsoon session, senior leaders said on Monday that they want the session to function smoothly.

Emerging from the strategy meeting of 13 parties, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said they will want the House to function so that several important issues can be discussed. “The leaders of all 13 parties unanimously stated in the meeting that we want to see the House running. In the last session too, the entire Opposition wanted the House to run but the government wanted it otherwise,” he said.

Azad said they will raise the people’s issues to corner the government. “We will talk about unemployment, farmers’ crisis, issues of Dalits, backwards and minorities. We will also talk about the incidents of lynching and how reservation of SC, ST and OBCS has been stopped in universities.”

Congress leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia, Anand Sharma, Mallikarjun Kharge and Ahmed Patel, NCP leader Sharad Pawar, Trinamool Congress (TMC)’S Sukhendu Shekhar Roy, Satish Chandra Misra (BSP), Ram Gopal Yadav (SP), RJD’S Misa Bharti, TKS Elangovan from DMK, CPI(M)’S Md Salim, CPI’S D Raja were among the leaders present. While these parties are gearing up for a fierce debate, the NDA’S friend-turned-foe Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has announced it will move a notice for a no-confidence motion against the government.

A Congress leader familiar with discussions in Monday’s meet maintained that although people have no confidence in the government, the 13 parties are not supporting the TDP’S move. This is partly because the TDP remains an arch rival of the Congress in Andhra Pradesh and it has maintained an independent stand after joining the Opposition quarters, said the leader.

Elangovan said, “TDP feels the need for a no-confidence motion as promises made to Andhra Pradesh were not fulfilled. But there are also other important issues related to our economy and social matters.”

A section of the Opposition feels that the TMC, Aam Admi Party (AAP) and Left parties may back the TDP’S move.

However, TMC leader Derek O’brien remained non-committal about his party’s strategy.“we are yet to finalise our parliamentary floor strategy. Currently, the focus of the entire organisation is our rally on July 21,” he said.

The AAP did not attend Monday’s meet. A Congress strategist claimed, “They (TMC, AAP and the left) will support the Opposition stand on different issues.”

The parties also discussed the upcoming election of the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman.