Ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament beginning Wednesday, the Opposition parties on Tuesday demanded discussion on a slew of key issues, including unemployment, price rise, quota for the EWS sections, and situation at the Sino-India border in the all-party meeting called by the Central Government. The issues are set to be raised by the Opposition during the Winter Session.
In the meeting, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) pitched for the passage of the long-pending women’s reservation Bill in the Winter Session. The one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State legislators was also raised by the TMC, the JD(U) and the SAD parties in the Business Advisory Committee meeting called by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
The session would proceed amid the key poll outcomes of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls.
Exit polls on Monday predicted a big majority for the BJP in Gujarat and a dead heat in Himachal Pradesh where most pollsters gave an edge to the ruling party over the Congress. The session which had to be delayed by a month due to the Gujarat election schedule would witness the Government introducing 16 Bills during 17 sittings of the session.
Leaders from more than 30 parties attended the all-party meeting to discuss the legislative agenda and the issues likely that would be taken up during the Winter Session of Parliament.
The meeting was chaired by Union Minister and Deputy leader of the BJP in the Lok Sabha Rajnath Singh. Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi were also present.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, “There are so many issues before the country, such as unemployment and price rise, and the Government owes an answer to the people.”
Chowdhury alleged that the Government did not “properly” inform the Opposition about the stand-off at the Sino-India border.
“In the House, we demand a discussion on it and also on the killings of Kashmiri Pandits,” he added.
Congress leader Naseer Hussain demanded discussions on the appointment of Election Commissioner in just one day and the Economically Weaker Section quota. The Congress list of issues to be raised during the session also include “Centre’s attack on judiciary and refusal to accept Supreme Court collegium’s recommendation. The party will also take up the Supreme Court’s judgement on 10 percent reservation for Economically Weaker Section and Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat.
Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay said he, along with party colleague and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien, sought discussions on price rise, unemployment, alleged misuse of agencies and economic blockade of States. O’Brien also told the Government that the Opposition should be allowed to raise issues of importance.
The BJD demanded passage of the women’s reservation bill in the Winter Session of Parliament.
“On behalf of my party, the BJD, I demanded that the women reservation bill be passed in the winter session,” Patra told reporters after the meeting. BJD leader and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and the party are committed to the cause of women empowerment, the MP said.
The Bill which seeks to reserve one-third of seats in Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women could not be passed by the 15th Lok Sabha. While the bill was pending in the Lower House of Parliament, the term of the 15th Lok Sabha ended and the constitution amendment bill lapsed.
Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress, JD(U) and the Shiromani Akali Dal demanded convening an all-party meet to build consensus on the women’s reservation bill at a meet convened by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay said. The TMC raised the issue at the meeting of the Lok Sabha Business Advisory Committee, while it was supported by the JD(U) and the SAD. The BAC meet was convened by the Speaker ahead of the Winter session of Parliament beginning Wednesday. This will be the first session when Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar will also chair as Chairman of Rajya Sabha.
The Winter Session is also likely to be the last session to be held in the existing Parliament House as the new Parliament building would be ready for use in the budget session.