At the all-party meeting convened by the BJP-led NDA government on the eve of the Budget session of Parliament, the BJP appeared to have got a taste of the coalition politics with its allies as well as erstwhile friendly parties raising various demands and a resurgent Opposition asking the government to adopt “a new approach” in both the Houses.
The crucial three-week session starting Monday is taking place against the backdrop of a changed political landscape in the wake of a fractured verdict in the recent Lok Sabha polls that did not give the BJP a majority, forcing it to lean on its NDA allies, especially N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP and Nitish Kumar-led JD(U).
At the all-party meeting on Sunday, the Opposition leaders were united in raising their concerns over the ADG, Meerut Zone’s contentious directive asking the eateries and carts on the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners and employees, ostensibly clarifying their religion. They asked the Centre to intervene, calling the directive “divisive”.
While the JD(U) and the YSRCP, known as one of the BJP’s friendly parties, raised their demand for a Special Category Status (SCS) for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh respectively, the BJD, the Modi dispensation’s erstwhile friendly party, also reminded the BJP about its pledge of the SCS for Odisha ahead of the 2014 elections.
“Odisha has been deprived of the Special Category Status for more than two decades. Biju Janata Dal has been constantly demanding it. In the all party meeting, political parties from Bihar and Andhra Pradesh also demanded for the Special Category Status for their respective states. We joined our counterparts from the other states as well since there is a requirement for such a status for Odisha too,” senior BJD leader Sasmit Patra told reporters after the meeting.
Another BJP ally, Chirag PaswanUnion minister and LJP(RV) president, also joined the JD(U) in demanding the SCS for Bihar.
In a post on X, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stated: “In today’s all-party meeting of floor leaders chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singhthe JD(U) leader demanded special category status of Bihar. The YSRCP leader demanded special category status for Andhra Pradesh. Strangely, the TDP leader kept quiet on the matter.”
The SCS is a classification of regions or states by the central government to provide special assistance in the form of tax benefits and financial support for development of the region. It was first introduced in 1969 based on the recommendations of the fifth Finance Commission. The BJP-led Centre has made it clear repeatedly that it will not consider the demands for a SCS by any new state.
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Sources said when the SP’s Ramgopal Yadav spoke against the police directive for the Kanwar Yatra route, the entire Opposition backed him, saying it would create communal division in the country. While Yadav warned the BJP “not to create a crisis in the country for some political benefits”, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said the Centre has the constitutional powers to intervene because it was a “divisive order”.
The directive for Muzaffarnagar and other districts has also been adopted by Uttarakhand, even as it has drawn criticism from the BJP’s own allies like the JD(U), Jayant Chaudhary-led RLD and Chirag Paswan.
With the Opposition having not got a chance to raise the issue of the alleged irregularities and leaks in the NEET exams as well as the Manipur crisis in the first session after the Lok Sabha polls, its leaders asked the government Sunday to respect the public mandate. “What the government needs to do is very simple. It needs to read the message of the mandate which is to discuss and debate in the House,” John Brittas, CPI(M) MP said, citing his remark made in the meeting. “Everyone was of the view that Parliament’s prestige has to be restored and healthy debate should be the norm,” he added.
Gaurav Gogoi, deputy leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, said in his remarks that the government should offer the Deputy Speaker’s post to the Opposition. He also said the Standing Committees should be constituted immediately in which the Opposition parties should be given adequate representation including the posts of their chairpersons.
The AAP’s Sanjay Singh raised the issue of the Centre allegedly misusing the central agencies against the Opposition leaders. The DMK’s T R Baalu expressed concerns over the Opposition-ruled states not being given central funds in time.
The meeting also witnessed heated arguments between the YSRCP and the TDP when the former’s Vijaysai Reddy raised the issue of “TDP hooliganism” in Andhra Pradesh after its victory in the recent Assembly elections.
Speaking to The Indian ExpressTDP leader Luv Krishna said: “They (YSRCP) could raise such issues in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly which is meeting from Monday. This meeting was to ensure the smooth conduct of the Parliament session. They are just using diversionary tactics.”
The JD(U)’s Sanjay Jha wanted the government to respond promptly to the issues raised by the members during the Zero Hour.
During the meeting many floor leaders were of the view that the Central Hall in the old Parliament House building should be reopened. “In the all-party meeting of floor leaders the universal demand has been that Central Hall should once again be opened up for MPs to mingle with each other and improve communications across the parties. The historic Central Hall has sadly fallen into disuse after the opening of the new building of Parliament,” Ramesh said in another X post.
Addressing the floor leaders, Rajnath Singh requested the Opposition to avoid disruptions during the speeches of senior leaders in order to protect the dignity of Parliament. Singh was apparently referring to the Opposition’s move to heckle Prime Minister Narendra-Modi during his reply to the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address to both the Houses during the last session.
Besides Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and J P Nadda of the BJP, the meeting was attended by Gogoi, Ramesh and K Suresh of the Congress, the JD(U)’s Sanjay Jha, AAP’s Sanjay Singh, NCP’s Praful Patel, and the RJD’s Abhay Kushwaha, among other leaders.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget in Parliament on Tuesday. Sitharaman will table the Economic Survey on Monday.
A united Opposition is set to corner the Modi government on issues ranging from the NEET paper leaks to railway safety, to unemployment and price rise.
The session would have 19 sittings till August 12, during which the government is expected to present six bills, including the one to replace the 90-year-old Aircraft Act, besides getting Parliament’s nod for the Budget of Jammu and Kashmir, which has been under the Central rule.
