The opposition is gearing up to take on the Modi government in the budget session of Parliament on the key issues of rising prices, inflation and the rail fare hike: indeed, opposition sources told The Hindu that these subjects may even be raised as soon as Parliament convenes on Monday for Question Hour.
If the government’s focus in the session starting Monday will be pushing through the general budget and railway budget, the opposition made it clear on Saturday at an all-party meeting convened by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan that in the just over a month long session it plans to raise not just the price rise issue, but also the rail hike, the plight of Tamil fishermen, and Iraq.
The NDA government, on its part, will make a statement in both Houses on the condition of Indians in war-torn Iraq, union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu told journalists after the luncheon meeting.
At Saturday’s meeting, the government came in under attack on the federalism issue: “Though the government is saying that they have great respect for federalism but in essence and effect we don't see any signs of such federalism,” Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee said, citing letters despatched by various ministers to states. He also expressed displeasure at the fact that the Trinamool hadn’t been given a room commensurate with its parliamentary strength.
Ms Mahajan, responding to a demand made by an opposition leader, agreed that since the Standing Committees for various ministries are yet to be constituted, the demands for grants for various ministries will be passed by both Houses by July 31 after discussion in Parliament instead of in the committees.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP patriarch L K Advani also attended the lunch but were not present at the meeting that Ms Mahajan presided over.
After the meeting, she said the meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere: “The Government is willing to give full time to discuss any issue. Different suggestions have come and they will be decided after the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee,” she said.
Ms. Mahajan also said that the Lok Sabha proceedings this session will have a new feature where the picture of members speaking will be shown on the screen to enable all members sitting even on front benches to see those speaking from the rear benches.
Among those who attended the meeting were Congress leaders Mallikarjuna Kharge, Jyotiraditya Scindia, the BJD's Bhartuhari Mahtab, the CPI-M's P Karunakaran and the SP's Dharmendra Yadav. Those who represented the government included MoSs for Parliamentary Affairs Prakash Javadekar and Santosh Gangwar and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan.
