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Govt-Opposition thaw possible in Parliament after disruptions
The second week of the ongoing monsoon session of parliament may have ended on an unproductive note amidst continued protests and frequent disruptions, but there is a glimmer of hope for peace to return next week.
The second week of the ongoing monsoon session of parliament may have ended on an unproductive note amidst continued protests and frequent disruptions, but there is a glimmer of hope for peace to return next week. The government and the Opposition have agreed to discuss the price rise and other related issues in both Houses of Parliament. The debate is slotted in the Lok Sabha on Monday and next day, in the Rajya Sabha. And both sides are keen to get their message across.
Talking to reporters outside Parliament, union minister for parliamentary affairs, Pralhad Joshi said the government and opposition parties (other than the Congress) are endeavouring to pass bills after discussion, but accused the Congress of being “arrogant” and adamant. He expressed hope that the disruptions will not continue next week. “I am hopeful that Parliament will work from next week,” he said.
The Opposition too, is hopeful about temporary peace as it is keen to participate in the debate on price rise that union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will reply to in both Houses. While the controversy over Congress’ Lok Sabha floor leader Adhir Chowdhury’s derogatory remarks on President Droupadi Murmu is yet to die down, he has tendered an apology in writing to Murmu on Friday. “I am writing to express my regret for having mistakenly used an incorrect word to describe the position you held. I assure you that it was a slip of the tongue. I apologize and request you to accept the same,” he wrote.
Still, the resumption of business might be short-lived as opposition leaders plan to take up the Agnipath recruitment scheme after the discussion on price rise. The government has already clarified in internal meetings that it is not willing to discuss Agnipath in parliament as the issue is before the court.
The monsoon session of Parliament that started from July 18, had little to show in terms of legislations passed thus far; just ten more days are left in the monsoon session.
On Friday, the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha witnessed sloganeering, disruptions and adjournments with both the government and the opposition standing their ground on their respective demands and refusing to concede. The opposition protested at not being allowed to raise the issue of price rise and the hooch tragedy in Gujarat, while the treasury benches demanded an apology from Congress president, Sonia Gandhi for Chowdhury’s comments.
In the Rajya Sabha, the first adjournment came at 11.10 a.m. when leaders of both sides began to raise slogans. As soon as the House convened, Deputy Chairman Harivansh said notices under Rule 267 to discuss issues such as price rise and the Agnipath scheme are not being allowed.
The second adjournment, the final one for the day, came at 12.02 p.m after the house was rocked by disruptions.
The Opposition, which concluded its relay protest after the suspension of 27 members ended on Friday afternoon, has accused the government of making Chowdhury’s comment a political issue and not making efforts to end the logjam. Joshi, however, said, “We have heard that near the statute of Mahatma Gandhi, who was a firm believer in non-violence, Congress leaders were having chicken in the name of protest. Leave aside the discussion on important issues, it has become a practice for Congress to insult national icons.”
On whether the government will allow discussion on the issue of price rise in both the Houses, given the protest over Chowdhury’s remarks, a senior BJP leader said, “Our intent is to do so but it depends on the opposition whether they want to accept their mistake and apologise to the nation and the President or continue to display their arrogance.”
A clutch of bills are expected to be taken up for discussion and passage in the Rajya Sabha next week. These include the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022, which was passed by Lok Sabha; The Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022; the Family Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2022; and The National Anti-Doping Bill, 2022.
