The ongoing row over JNU prominently figured in a meeting of political parties called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday with Opposition leaders speaking out against the sedition case slapped on the arrested student leader and the Government countering it, saying slogans raised by the students were “highly objectionable.”
However, the Government agreed to discuss all subjects and said it was willing to walk the extra mile to enable smooth functioning of Parliament. Details of the legislative agenda would be provided to the parties at the all-party meeting on February 22.
Sources said almost all parties, including the SP, BSP, JD(U), TMC, BJD, AIADMK, DMK, lJSP and INlD expressed concern over disruption of Parliament proceedings as it was “lowering the image” of Parliament and “even children are making fun of Parliamentarians.” The parties said disruptions were depriving smaller parties of opportunities to raise issues of concern and also “derailing the economic agenda” of the country.
Modi said during the meeting that he was Prime Minister not only of the BJP but the entire country, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu told the media after the over two-hour-long meeting.
“We will respond to the issues raised by the Opposition and address them... I hope the congenial mood here will be translated into action in Parliament,” Modi told
the meeting.
Naidu said there was a general consensus that Parliament should run smoothly.
The meeting also witnessed the Trinamool Congress pushing for the passage of the pending GST Bill, Naidu said. JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav said Parliament must run and all issues debated there.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley explained the Government’s stand on the JNU row and spoke about the slogans and posters related to the controversial event, calling them highly objectionable.
According to sources, Jaitley in his brief intervention said the implications of the incidents need to be understood properly. He asked if any responsible political party could endorse the slogans raised at the so-called protest meet in JNU and all should await the Enquiry Report in the matter.
With the BJP targeting the Congress over its support to “anti-nationals” in the JNU row, leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said his party “disassociates” itself from all such students who shouted slogans attacking India’s unity and the Constitution, but insisted that there was no proof of sedition against Kanhaiya Kumar, the arrested JNU Students’ Union president. “There’s no proof of sedition against him,” he said.
He also hit out at BJP leaders for “defaming” the party leadership with their “anti-national” jibe and said the Government should restrain them. Azad told the media that the atmosphere in the country has been vitiated since the BJP came to power and its Government has taken no action against people responsible for it.
Naidu shared the Opposition leaders’ concern over use of terms like “anti-national” and also spoke about the “Hitler” remark made against the Prime Minister as he noted that all parties should show restraint.
“The Government will discuss every issue under rule. We have no objections. The Government is willing to walk the extra mile... let there be an open debate about what happened in JNU, the posters used there... Some said the police should not have gone there. The mood was very good and cordial. It was also said that a section of the media is blowing things out of proportion,” he said.
Azad, joined by senior party leader Anand Sharma, claimed that his party was always of the view that Bills should be passed on merit but if there is a stalemate in Parliament, then the Government must find the reasons and address them.
“If people holding Constitutional positions are vitiating the atmosphere in the country, then it will find a reflection in Parliament. Had action been taken against them, then many things which we see today would not be happening,” he said.
Defending Kanhaiya, Azad said he did not speak against the Constitution and the country’s integrity. “His arrest on sedition charge is unfair... Action should also have been taken against those who vitiated the country’s atmosphere.”
Asked about his party’s stand on the GST Bill, Azad said the Bill was not under discussion in the meeting.
The left leaders said they raised several issues including “what is happening at universities”, the President’s Rule in Arunachal Pradesh and sought Modi’s intervention.
CPI national secretary D Raja asked Modi if the Home Minister was acting on his own or he had approval of the entire Government for action against JNU students. Raja said the Prime Minister did not give any assurance but promised to look into the issues.