The Government may face Opposition’s heat on the political development in Arunachal Pradesh and chain of violence in Kashmir in the Parliament’s Monsoon Session beginning Monday even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reached out to the Opposition for the passage of Bills, including GST.
Speaking at a meeting of leaders of various political parties convened by the Government ahead of the session, the Prime Minister said the issue was not about which Government would get the credit for introduction of the GST Bill, but what was important is the passage of the Bill. He expressed the hope that there would be meaningful discussions and outcomes during the session, according to sources.
The Opposition parties, which are set to corner the Government on the developments in Arunachal Pradesh, assured “merit-based cooperation” on all important legislations, including the GST, pending in Parliament.
But the Congress has not made any firm commitment to the GST saying “they wanted the Government to share with them a written draft over the demands made by the party.” The CPI(M) and the SP have sought an all-party meeting on the issue accusing the government and the Congress of “match fixing.”
Responding to suggestions from some leaders for increasing the sittings of Parliament, the Prime Minister said he welcomed the suggestion and urged the leaders to ensure proper utilisation of the available time.
On Kashmir issues, the Prime Minister said, “We represent both the people and parties and there is a need to keep national interests above anything else.”
Briefing the mediapersons after the two hour-long meeting of leaders of parties in both the Houses of Parliament, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar said that the meeting was very fruitful and all the parties desired smooth functioning of Parliament while assuring their cooperation in this regard.
He said the Congress assured support to legislative proposals based on merits. The Minister said the Government assured the leaders of an open-minded approach to all issues.
Kumar said the Government sought the cooperation of all parties for the passage of GST Bill and made it clear that all parties would be consulted in this regard. He said that Government’s legislative agenda includes 16 Bills to be taken up during the session beginning, including three Bills to replace Ordinances.
A total of 45 leaders from 30 parties — including Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Ministers of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and SS Ahluwalia — attended the meeting.
leaders of several Opposition parties spoke of developments in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand indicating their intent to train guns on the Government, with leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad saying the States no longer trusted the BJP-led Government at the Centre.
Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia played down the talks between his party and the Government to break the impasse over the long-pending GST Bill and said they wanted the Government to share with them a written draft over the demands made by the party.
“We can give a response only after we receive a written draft from the Government,” he said as he rejected the contention that the Congress was blocking the Bill, saying GST was “a baby given birth” by his party.
Striking a hopeful note, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told mediapersons that Parliament was a “mahapanchayat” where all issues could be raised.
“Our legislative business, including GST, is a priority. We want to see to that we pass the GST Bill with consensus. We are going to take every party on board,” he said.
Kumar downplayed the attacks of Congress, the left and some other parties on the Government over the Arunachal issue, saying different issues can be debated.
Talking to reporters, Azad accused the Government of “using all tricks” to destabilise Opposition-ruled Governments and took potshots at Modi over his talk of cooperation between the Centre and the States by pointing out that even a BJP ally like Akali Dal has attacked it over “undermining” States.
Though he did not refer to GST directly, he said the Congress will offer support to Bills on merit.
“We have not taken any decision that we have to stop a Bill. We will support on merit. We will support any Bill which is in support of people, progress and growth,” he said.
The Parliamentary Affairs Minister said growing incidents of terror attacks in different parts of the world and their implications for the country, foreign policy, floods in the States -- like Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand -- were listed by him among the issues to be discussed in Parliament.
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said the BJP and the Congress were indulging in “match-fixing” on the GST issue and asked the Government to follow the Parliamentary spirit as Atal Bihari Vajpayee dispensation did and consult all parties.
He and Naresh Agrawal of the Samajwadi Party demanded an all-party meeting over the GST Bill with the SP leader saying his party may oppose the Bill if it is not consulted.