The NDA Government is all set to face a stormy Parliament session beginning Monday, as it prepares to unveil its economic agenda in the Union Budget and attempts to convert six key Ordinances into Acts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal in the all-party meeting here on Sunday for cooperation to run the Parliament has gone unheeded with few Opposition leaders ready to buy peace with the Government on contentious issues.
Besides Modi’s overture to the Opposition in the all-party meet, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu met several Opposition leaders individually to ensure unobstructed and purposeful running of the session. On Sunday evening, Naidu drove to Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s residence to elicit her party’s cooperation in smooth conduct of the Budget Session.
Though the Government has promised to walk the “extra mile” to accommodate concerns of all the parties, emboldened by the Delhi-poll outcome the Opposition is ready for a showdown on passing of over three-dozen Bills particularly the controversial land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill. Though Naidu claimed there was “broad consensus” on five other Ordinances to be converted into Acts.
While describing his meeting with Gandhi as a “cordial” one, Naidu said she expressed concerns over land Ordinance. The stage for a political battle in Parliament over the land legislation is also set in the backdrop of Gandhian activist Anna Hazare starting a dharna at Jantar Mantar from Monday and the Congress under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership doing the same on February 25.
In an indication that the Government may be willing to accommodate views of Opposition on the land Bill, Naidu said it is an “emotive issue” and needs to be addressed “sincerely without undue politicisation”. The Opposition may also take on the Government on price rise, spread of swine flu and controversial programme of ‘Ghar Wapsi’ though the Prime Minister has clarified his Government’s stand on religious tolerance.
Besides, the Opposition is also likely to raise the corporate espionage case in the Petroleum Ministry. President Pranab Mukherjee’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament, reflecting the essence of Modi’s inclusive development (‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’) plank and NDA Government’s socio-economic agenda would be the highlight of the opening day of the session. This would be the second-joint-session of Modi Government.
The all-party meeting discussed the important issues on the table for the session with Modi himself underlining that smooth functioning of Parliament should be ensured as the Budget Session is very crucial and people look at it with lots of hopes and aspirations. The leaders of all political parties should collectively ensure proper utilisation of time in both Houses of Parliament “so that we can work towards meeting the hopes and aspirations of people”, he said about the session during which his Government will present its first full-fledged Budget.
“It is the collective responsibility of leaders of all parties to ensure that this session runs smoothly so that the House can fulfil aspirations of people...Hope we can collectively work for the benefit of common man,” Modi said. The Prime Minister assured the Opposition the issues which it was wanting to raise would be “discussed adequately and appropriately in order of their priority and importance”.
Naidu who while saying that the Government was “walking the talk” with Opposition, hoped that all parties would be constructive in their approach. “The Government is willing to walk the extra mile to accommodate the Opposition. My only appeal is that House should be allowed to function smoothly,” Naidu said later. Meanwhile, leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said the Congress will not support those Ordinances and Bills, which “do not help people”.
JD(U) president Sharad Yadav said it will be a “fight to the finish” as he lashed out at the Government, saying it had made the land law worse than what existed during the British time. INlD leader Dushyant Chautala demanded that the proposed Bill to convert the land Ordinance into a new Act should be referred to the Standing Committee of Parliament for a review of the changes brought in the old law by the Government.
The Parliamentary Affairs Minister said the Government is always willing to sit with Opposition to resolve differences on any issue. “A spirit of mutual cooperation is required to ensure productive Budget Session,” he said. “I don’t think there is any issue that cannot be resolved with an open mind,” he said. On land issue, he said State Governments, cutting across political spectrum, have expressed difficulties in acquiring land under the provisions of the Act of 2013.
“Based on such feedback, the Government only wants to facilitate timely acquisition of land and that too for the purposes of infrastructure, affordable housing etc,” Naidu said while justifying the Ordinance brought on the issue to amend the Act passed during the UPA rule. “All of you will appreciate that there has been no change in the remuneration to be paid to farmers or the rehabilitation measures to be undertaken for the displaced people,” he said.