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The government on Thursday finalised the schedule of the Budget Session, which will also witness fresh moves to pass the GST and Real Estate Bills, while the Opposition forged a broad front, hinting at a repeat of the previous two stormy sessions.
The Opposition is certain to corner the government over the twin issues of President’s rule in Arunachal Pradesh and the student agitation following Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula’s suicide in Hyderabad Central University.
A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs this afternoon was preceded by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister inviting all opposition leaders to discuss the schedule. While there were suggestions about curtailment of the session because of the upcoming Assembly elections in some states, the final decision was not to do so. The Railway Budget is to be presented on February 25 while the General Budget will be presented on February 29.
Arunachal to the fore The critical issue that has united the opposition is the ratification of the Ordinance on President’s rule in Arunachal Pradesh, which has been sought on priority during the session. This, coming in the wake of the Supreme Court’s comment on Thursday that it “cannot remain a mute spectator when democracy is slaughtered” added fuel to the Opposition’s anguish.
Congress led from the front with its leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma and Deepender Hooda, who attended the meeting, asserting that Governor’s rule in Arunachal Pradesh and Vemula’s suicide would be taken up during the session.
The Congress hopes that it will get the support of regional and Left parties on the two issues. Azad added that there would be threadbare discussions on every issue and that the Congress is not for disrupting the procedures of the House.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs MA Naqvi said the Centre is ready to discuss all such issues. “We are making attempts to talk to all so that this session functions in a proper manner. We are talking to all parties, formally and informally and our attempt is that the Budget session is positive and constructive,” he added.
The meeting also decided against curtailing the Budget session as many parties had sought a clarification from the government on the sittings since Assembly polls will be held in five Sates during the session.
“The Session’s working days should not be curtailed. They should hold a complete recess to enable the Standing Committees to examine the budgetary allocations to various ministries,” Azad said.
Calendar of sittings sought JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav and CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury also supported his views.
“Every year the government should come out with a calendar of Parliament sittings so that there is no confusion. The Election Commission will then decide the dates for elections knowing when Parliament is sitting. The Prime Minister will also know about the sittings and will remain in House and not be abroad,” said Yechury.
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