With both the Opposition and the ruling BJP showing a willingness to cooperate, the Winter Session of Parliament could see a move forward on passing some key legislations. After day-long marathon meetings on Wednesday, including an all-party deliberation, it was clear that the Winter Session might escape the fate of the Monsoon Session which could not transact any business due to the logjam, mainly over lalitgate.
The Government decided to reach out to the Opposition by opening a dialogue with the Congress to address its concerns on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill and agreed for a debate on the alleged intolerance in the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Parliament should run meaningfully with the cooperation of all so as to fulfil the expectations of the people.
On its part, the Congress seemed to be ready to remove the hurdle in the passage of the GST Bill with party vice-president Rahul Gandhi saying his party “strongly” believed in the GST, but the Government should reach out to the Opposition on certain issues, including the cap on rate.”
Rahul also said his party would raise the issue of rising “intolerance” across the
country in Parliament. In Bengaluru, Rahul also said the Prime Minister’s “silence” on various issues would also come up in Parliament.
Sharing the strategy for the Winter Session at the AICC briefing, leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and leader of the Congress in lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said as the principal Opposition party, the Congress would behave as a responsible political party with regards to the legislations and legislative business and would support every Bill on merit.
On the eve of the 29-day Winter Session, starting Thursday, the Government engaged the Opposition in two all party meetings, one called by the Government and the other by the Speaker of the lok Sabha. A meeting of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was also held to work out a meaningful agenda in agreement with the Opposition.
The ruling BJP’s Parliamentary Board met at Prime Minister Modi’s residence to decide the party’s strategy to ensure that the session “works” and does business, unlike the last session even as the Congress-led ‘united Opposition’ planned to corner the Government by turning the focus on the alleged ‘intolerance’ in the country.
“We are ready for a debate on intolerance. The Government has nothing to feel shy about”, said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu after the NDA meeting in the evening where he also said that the Government would engage the Congress to work out the GST Bill.
Earlier in the day, after an all-party meeting called by Naidu, also briefly attended by Modi, the Government said that though it did not share the perception that intolerance was on the rise in the country it would still go with the Opposition to discuss the issue. Modi asked all parties to facilitate passing of the GST Bill, assuring that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley would ally their apprehensions, if any, on this count.
The Government seems to have got a ‘positive’ response from the Opposition parties on the passing of the GST with the JD(U) backing the Bill and party president Sharad Yadav announcing support to the measure after the all-party meeting .
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the all-party meeting that GST legislation is in the interest of the nation and the Finance Minister will speak to parties concerned to address their doubts on it,” Naidu said after the discussions in the meeting. The Prime Minister called for collective efforts to enable effective functioning of Parliament.
CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury, however, said that the Centre should hold talks with States on the issue of GST in view of the fact that they will lose all legislative power on tax matters once the GST comes into force.
Besides, the Finance Minister walking up to the Opposition on the GST, the Prime Minister also said that Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, who has held talks with leaders of various parties, may talk to them further on the issue of India’s stand on the resolution on the climate change issue and any one can given suggestions for two more days.