Parliament’s winter session, beginning Monday, promises to be stormy with the opposition determined to pin the Modi-led NDA government on promises the BJP had made during its election campaign even as it will block the latter’s efforts to take forward the economic reforms agenda that many among them see as anti-people.
Opposition parties have also decided to take on the NDA government on the black money issue and corner it on the insurance bill. Indications to this effect were available at the end of an all-party meeting, convened by Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, on the eve of the winter session. While 40 leaders from 26 parties were present, the Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party skipped the meeting.
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Addressing the meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured opposition parties that collectively all important issues can be taken up. He expressed the hope that the session will go “very well” like the last budget session.
Mr. Naidu said the government would push ahead with its legislative business and hoped that opposition parties would cooperate. Referring to the TMC’s charge, he said Ms Mamata Banerjee should not misunderstand the government as it had no role in the CBI actions against TMC leaders in the Saradha chitfund case.
CPI leader and Rajya Sabha member D. Raja said there could be convergence with other opposition parties on crucial issues like anti-labour reforms, farmers’ distress and atrocities against Dalits.
The government’s ambitious shortlist for the month-long session with 22 sittings, includes replacing two ordinances – The Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Ordinance, 2014 and The Textile Undertakings (Nationalisation) Laws (Amendment and Validation) Ordinance – with Bills, and passing the long overdue Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill and The Constitution (119th Amendment) Bill, 2013.
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