With no truce offer coming from any side, another day of the Winter Session of the Assembly is all set to go into drain when the House meets on Monday. Political outfits -- be it the Treasury Bench or the unified Opposition -- have not shown any concession in their stated positions, as far as amendments to the CNT-SPT Acts are concerned; the single-point bone of contention has been as of now.
It is learnt that the Government would move a proposal in the House on Monday for bringing the amendment motion for the SPT Act which along with another Bill to amend CNT Act would be discussed on November 23, said BJP's chief whip Radha Krishna Kishore.
Nonetheless the agenda topping the list of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and other parties in the Opposition camp is to rake up the issue at the top of their voice. "We are firm on our position that the Government should gather wider opinion of the people first and then bring the Bill amending the tenancy laws. There is no fact based on which the Government is heading for such an important amendment. We as a party think that the Government should drop its stubbornness," said Congress legislator and State party president Sukhdeo Bhagat on Sunday.
The six working days Winter Session of the Assembly is set to conclude on Friday.
As the Government is bringing the twin Bills proposing amendments in different sections of the CNT and SPT Acts on Wednesday for discussion and passage, it is unlikely that the House would transact any meaningful business in between. On Monday, discussion on the second Supplementary Budget is scheduled which as per indications is set to be cleared without much deliberation.
"Our stand is clear. We won't allow any change to take place in the CNT-SPT Acts. No alteration would be allowed. We also take objection to the BJP's act of airdropping leaflets in support of the amendments being done. They are trying to mislead simple tribal people by spreading misinformation. No business would be allowed to take place in the House until and unless the Government permits our Adjournment Motion and announce taking back the proposed amendments," said JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya. The party has also planned to burn effigies of the BJP MlAs and torch rally on November 22 throughout the State.
The firmness of the Opposition grows firmer with other smaller sections in the form of JVM and few Independents joining hands to oppose the Bill; copies of which have already being circulated among the legislators. The logjam has left no other way than to wait and watch for the ruling BJP-led Government. Sending out a signal, JVM's principal general secretary Pradeep Yadav called on JMM working president and leader of Opposition Hemant Soren on Sunday evening.
"What can we do to such an attitudeIJ There is no point accepting the Adjournment Motion being pressed by the Opposition when a full length debate and discussion is lined up for November 23 on the Bills. The entire matter would be before the members and we can exchange points of each other about positives and negatives of the amendments. This is the way to conduct in a healthy democracy," said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saryu Roy.
Somewhere from inside, the Government is confident of passing the Bills, be it without discussion. The Treasury Bench enjoys simple majority in the House even without its partner in the Government AJSU Party, which may chose to abscond at the time of division.