Parliament’s monsoon session, beginning Thursday, is all set to be stormy although the government has assured an all-party meeting to discuss all issues, including the situation in Manipur, scarred by prolonged violence, as per rules and procedures.
The session has come just after the Opposition launched its anti-government alliance “INDIA”, and the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) held an extensive session to assert its confidence to defeat all Opposition moves, right up to the 2024 Lok Sabaha elections.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said, “All parties demanded a discussion on Manipur. The government is ready. When the Lok Sabha speaker and the Rajya Sabha chairman decide the dates, the government is ready to discuss the issue, as per rules and procedures.”
Briefing newspersons about the session-eve all-party meeting on Wednesday afternoon, Joshi said the government was ready for the Manipur discussion when its date and time are decided by the speaker and the chairman. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presided over the meeting.
Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said his party will bring an adjournment motion on the Manipur situation on Thursday itself. He said he took up the Manipur issue at the all-party meeting. “Prime Minister should come and answer in Parliament,” he said.
Trinamul Congress leader Derek O’Brien said it was time the Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the Manipur issue.
Chowdhury said, “We made it clear that if the government wants to run the House, it has to allow the Opposition to raise all issues. They must give due regard to this. There has to be adjustment from both sides.”
He said, “We requested the defence minister for the discussions. We told him the all-party meeting is taking place under his chairmanship and he should help the Opposition raise its issues. We have many issues to raise during the session.”
The Congress leader said the government has planned to bring 31 Bills for passage in just 17 days of the session. “How will they be discussed and passed in such a short time. But if they want the Bills, then we are also ready to discuss,” he said.
“But we have just one request, please allow the opposition parties to raise their issues in the (Monsoon) Session,” he said.
Congress leader in the Rajya Sabha Pramod Tiwari said all parties were unanimous that, considering the sensitive situation in Manipur, the Prime Minister should personally reply on the issues.
There should be an opportunity also to discuss attacks on the federal structure, whether in Delhi, Punjab or Karnataka, wherever it has happened, he said.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh said the party, supported by others, will oppose the Government’s Ordinance taking away powers from the elected Government of Delhi.
He said this was an issue of Constitutional amendment and it could not be enforced through an Ordinance. It was brought to negate a Supreme Court judgement and to crush the rights of Delhi’s two crore people, “we will strongly oppose it if comes up in the Lok Sabha,” he said.
Telangana’s Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) too opposed the Delhi Ordinance at the all-party meeting; as also the role of the Tamil Nadu Governor in dismissing a Minister, party leader K Keshava Rao said.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla chaired the Business Advisory Committee meeting ahead of the session. The newly-formed Opposition alliance INDIA will hold its first meeting on Thursday to discuss strategy for Parliament’s monsoon session. A meeting of the NDA floor leaders is also scheduled for the day.
Several Opposition parties including the Samajwadi Party demanded a discussion on UCC (Uniform Civil Code). The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) wanted passage of the women reservation Bill and special category status for Odisha, party’s Rajya Sabha leader Sasmit Patra told the all-party meeting. The monsoon session of Parliament will continue till 11 August.