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The Opposition has decided to “strongly” take up three issues in the upcoming Monsoon Session — the crisis in Jammu and Kashmir, a review of the economy, including one year of GST, and the problems of farmers.
On the growing incidents of mob lynching, too, the Opposition wants to raise a united voice, but as of now the consensus is on the three issues.
Leaders of various Opposition parties told BusinessLine the decision of the BJP to pull out of the J&K government, and the reasons it had given for it, vitiated the atmosphere in the State.
“The Jammu and Kashmir situation will definitely come up for discussion in Parliament,” Congress general secretary and whip of the party in Lok Sabha KC Venugopal told BusinessLine.
“We will move notices demanding an answer from the Centre. The BJP is using Governors for its political missions. We have seen that in the past. In Karnataka and Kashmir, too, they are following the same strategy.”
GST and demonetisation together destroyed the economy, and the Centre is answerable, he added.
Senior MP and BJP leader in Lok Sabha Bhartruhari Mahtab said the issues of low Minimum Support Price (MSP) and farm distress will be raised in Parliament. “The Odisha government has been demanding better remuneration for agricultural produce, particularly paddy. The Centre has not made any substantial increase to the MSP, while the input cost has hit the sky,” Mahtab said.
Price increase
CPI(M) leader in Rajya Sabha TK Rangarajan said Parliament must review the GST.
“The prices of almost all essential items have increased. The Centre’s reluctance to reduce taxes on petroleum products has added to the misery of the people. According to the Tamil Nadu government, five lakh people lost their jobs in the State as 50,000 SME units were closed due to demonetisation and GST,” he said, adding that unemployment and price rise must be discussed separately.
The BJD, which was supportive of the GST, wants a review of it as well. Mahtab said Odisha has certain concerns on its implementation, which will be raised in Parliament.
On mob lynching too, the Opposition is trying to make a collective in Parliament.
Pointing out that MoS for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha had allegedly garlanded a group of people accused of mob lynching, Venugopal called it a serious development.
“The Centre’s support to such people will be questioned in Parliament,” he added.
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