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Fireworks over Delhi riots likely in Parliament as Budget session resumes
The Congress has announced it will press for Union home minister Amit Shah’s resignation and will spare no efforts to attack the Narendra Modi government over the riots.
Fireworks and protests may dominate the second half of the Budget session of Parliament, at least in its initial days, when it starts on Monday in the backdrop of the Delhi riots that left 46 dead, over 450 injured amid massive destruction of properties.
The Congress-led Opposition has announced it will mount pressure for Union home minister Amit Shah’s resignation and will spare no efforts to attack the Narendra Modi government over the riots.
The government, on the other hand, wants to show its intent for business as usual and has listed four bills for passage and another two for introduction in the opening day of the budget session’s second half.
The second phase of the budget session is scheduled from March 2 to April 3
Government business in Lok Sabha includes the introduction of The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020. The Union Cabinet on January 29 approved increasing the time limit for conducting a medical abortion from the current 20 weeks to 24 weeks, and allowed the option for “special categories of women” that would include ‘vulnerable women’ such as rape survivors, victims of incest, differently-abled and minors.
The Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill will also be introduced.
Later in the day, the government plans to pass The Direct Tax Vivad Se Vishwas Bill in the Lower House.
In Rajya Sabha, the government wants to pass the Central Sanskrit Universities Bill that aims to establish and incorporate Universities for teaching and research in Sanskrit.
Another important legislation, The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill will also be brought for passage. The legislation aims a medical education system that improves access to quality and affordable medical education, ensures availability of adequate and high quality professionals of Indian System of Medicine.
The Centre may also bring The National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill to promote high quality Homoeopathy medical professionals in the Upper House.
But this elaborate legislative agenda may hit a road block as the Opposition plans to protest and bring adjournment motion on Delhi riots, demand Amit Shah’s resignation.
The Congress and other Opposition parties also want to target the ruling dispensation over economy and farmers’ plight.
With all eyes on the budget session, the BJP sounded ready to take on the Opposition. Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Sunday demanded strict action against those involved in the violence in north-east Delhi but sidestepped question on his involvement in hate speech in the Delhi election campaign. In Chandigarh, Thakur said, “From Monday, Parliament session will begin, questions are raised there also from economy to various other issues and on that platform, answers will be given on various matters.”
Congress’ floor leader Adhir Chowdhury announced on Sunday that the party will “strongly raise” the issue of communal riots in Delhi and demand Shah’s resignation over alleged police lapses. “The government has miserably failed to maintain law and order. I think there must be some sort of a nexus between the rioters and a section of police officials which resulted in gruesome killings and arson that has tarnished our image across the globe. This is a matter of serious concern for us,” he said. Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has already hit out at Congress president Sonia Gandhi for “instigating violence” and questioning the rival party’s shifting policies.
Senior Congress leader in Rajya Sabha, Abhishek Singhvi, added that the “wanton destruction of democratic values” in this country with the “active approbation” and, frequently, the selective “Nelsonian blind eye” of the government will be taken up in the strongest possible terms. “The country is assured that we will discharge our responsibilities vigorously and without fear, despite extreme and illegal intrusion and harassment,” Singhvi said.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has already set the tone by repeatedly demanding Shah’s resignation - first in a rare press conference after a meeting of the party’s working committee on Wednesday and then in her memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday.
