The six-day long Monsoon session of the Assembly set to commence on Monday is, as per indications coming in, not going to be any different from the several sessions passed without much business during the last over an year.
As per the programme practically five working days have businesses of all kind lined up starting from laying and passing of the first supplementary budget of 2018-19 financial year, tabling of at least five Bills including some of new private universities and all important, the Question Hour.
This apart, the Bill accented by the President to amend some sections of the land Acquisition Bill would also be introduced to the members. Nevertheless this is issue that worries the Government the most as the Opposition in the leadership of the JMM has made its intent very clear.
“We want that the House is run peacefully but it is the Government which always blocks the way. They do not want that any fruitful debate and deliberation takes place on the matters of public importance. We also feel at the same time that the House is not just for the Government to meet its purposes and business. Public interest and wellbeing, protection of their rights and livelihood should be top on the agenda which has not been the case since the Government came to power,” said Congress legislative Party leader Alamgir Alam on Sunday.
Referring to the amendments done into the CNT-SPT Acts Alam said that the legislation got passed without any deliberation followed by the land Acquisition Bill. “The Government says outside that it is ready to run the House but we have seen what has happened to the important legislations. All these Bills were passed with the force of majority and there was no consensus on this. Again they are saying the Government is ready to discuss the amendments made. This is farcical,” added the Congress leader and demanded for recalling the amendments done and then discuss the matter.
Setting up the tone further the main Opposition party JMM reiterated its stand while questioning the relevance of the House. “In a democracy both the Government and Opposition have their importance. But what is happening in Jharkhand is just opposite to this. Not only our voices are being smothered but also of the BJP members. Host of the BJP members were opposed to the CNT-SPT, domicile policy and the land Bill but their opinions were ignored. In this scenario functioning of the Assembly has become just customary where the Government settles its executive and legislative businesses. Since the deeds of the Government are against the interest of the people we will be taking the fight on the streets,” said JMM legislator Stephen Marandi.
The Opposition is also readying itself with issues like displacement, land acquired for setting up land banks, issues of GM land, merger of schools, tribal issues related to conversion, activities of missionaries and patthalagari and ‘targeting’ minorities in the State along with recent controversy arisen after JVM presented a ‘letter carrying evidences of horse trading’.
BJP, on its part, is also sensing what is there in the store. “We know well that they are nothing to do with the interest of the people and just want to do politics. Since the Opposition does not have anything to present against the works done by this Government during its tenure it is fleeing away from discussion,” said party chief whip Radha Krishna Kishore. The NDA legislative body is scheduled to meet on Monday evening.