Sharp differences on several issues between the ruling and Opposition parties in the all-party meeting convened by lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Sunday clearly indicated what is in store in the second half of the Budget Session beginning on Monday.
The imposition of President’s Rule in Uttarakhand is one of those contentious issues that could see the entire Opposition joining hands to take on the Government. A number of Opposition parties have given notices for the suspension of Question Hour on the first day of the Session over the Uttarakhand issue and also sought a discussion on the drought situation in the first week. Apart from the Uttarakhand issue, the Congress will also target the Government over imposition of President’s Rule in Arunachal Pradesh, the Pathankot terror attack, the Ishrat Jahan case, drought management, and alleged communalisation of educational institutions.
While the Congress in the all-party meet made it clear it would seek a discussion on Uttarakhand crisis, the Government side has made it clear that the matter being sub-judice cannot be deliberated upon.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Pratap Rudy contended, “To my knowledge, the matter is before the court and when the issue is pending in court and a decision is yet to come, there is no scope for a discussion on it. The Speaker has to take a decision on it.”
The Government has listed a heavy agenda for the session, including passage of 13 Bills in the lok Sabha and 11 Bills in the Rajya Sabha, there is a tacit understanding among its floor managers that pushing the contentious measures like Goods and Services Tax (GST) won’t be possible in first few days.
After the meeting, Congress’ leader in the lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said that the party MPs will move an adjournment motion seeking a discussion on it under Rule 56. Kharge insisted on a discussion on the issue as it was important and many Opposition members wanted it.
On Government’s contention and that of the Speaker that a debate on Uttarakhand was not possible as the matter was sub-judice Kharge said the chair was competent to allow a discussion setting aside the rules.
Mahajan said the members raised various demands, including holding discussion on drought and drinking water shortage.
The NDA Government is likely to counter attack citing instances of imposition of President’s Rule when the Congress Governments or the Governments backed by it or other Opposition parties were in power at the Centre. President’s Rule was imposed 111 times in the country since 1951, out of which it happened 91 times when BJP or NDA was not in power.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who had held discussions with select party leaders during a strategy meeting on the Uttarakhand crisis, had suggested that the party should take an aggressive stand on this issue. After the near wash-out of the two sessions last year, the Government is looking ahead to the second half of the Budget session to push bills, including the key GST Bill, touted as the biggest tax reform in India.
The Bills to be taken up in Parliament include the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Second Bill, 2015. The report of Joint Committee of Parliament is awaited on this matter.
The Upper House is also expected to take up bills, including the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2016, the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2016 and the Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015.