Opposition parties put on record their differences with the government on tabling the Union Budget on February 1, not just because of coming Assembly polls in five States, but also because economic data of the third quarter will not be factored into the document.
At an all-party meet called by the government, Opposition leaders were united in questioning the timing of the Budget presentation, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked for Parliament to rise above party lines and come forward for discussion on various issues. “Parliament is a Mahapanchayat and I would request all parties to allow the House to run,” Mr Modi is reported to have said, according to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar.
Trinamool Congress and NDA ally Shiv Sena kept away from the meet. “Some parties could not attend not just due to Assembly polls, but also due to local body polls in some States,” said Mr Kumar explaining the absence of these parties.
Opposition leaders demanded discussion on demonetisation and internal security and decried the abbreviated nature of the session. “The presentation of the Budget on February 1 is not just unseemly with regard to polls in five States but also that the economic data from the third quarter will not be factored in," said CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.
"Demonetisation has had a devastating impact on the economy and the figures from the third quarter will not be available, so the Budget exercise won't reflect this disruption at all," he said.
Congress' chief whip Jyotiraditya Scindia said that the session was for nine days, with only five proper working days which will be spent on clearing the motion of thanks to the President for his address to the joint Houses of Parliament, and the Union Budget. “Nevertheless, we have asked for a discussion on demonetisation, frequent violations of ceasefire between India and Pakistan and the undermining of institutions like the Reserve Bank of India,” he said.
Opposition leaders said the government was non-committal on the issue of Budget presentation.
He added that three ordinances re-promulgated recently, including the Enemy Property Ordinance will be tabled in Parliament, and the Business Advisory Committees of both Houses will schedule discussions on them.
