Budget session: Oppn presses for JNU row to be taken first, govt says ready to discuss all issues
22 February, New Delhi
The Opposition Monday strongly pressed for taking up the JNU row foremost and early discussion on other controversies like Jat quota issue and student suicide in Hyderabad University even as the government told the all-party meeting that it was ready to discuss all issues in the budget session of Parliament, commencing tomorrow.
After the meeting convened by Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on the eve of the crucial session that is commencing from tomorrow, there were indications that the JNU issue might come up before Parliament takes up the budget business. However, clarity about the agenda of both Houses would emerge after the meeting of Business Advisory Committee, which would be held here tomorrow.
As per tradition, President Pranab Mukherjee will address the joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament tomorrow.After the meeting, Mr Naidu told reporters that some political parties demanded that the ‘burning issues’ such as Rohith Vemula suicide in Hyderabad university, JNU row and Jat reservation should be discussed in Parliament, and he told them that all issues will be discussed at length.
Naidu told the Opposition in the meeting that it was as much concerned by recent incidents in different universities as any other party and urged Parliament to thoroughly discuss their causes and consequences and show the way forward. He said the government is committed to uphold the Constitution in letter and spirit and firmly believes in peace, unity and integration of the nation as the key operational principles for delivering on the development promised to the people.
The Minister said, Parliament is the forum for expression of collective wisdom of the country and showing the way forward in the larger interest of the nation.” Main opposition Congress maintained its tough stand on the Goods and Service Tax Bill, stressing that unless its three-point demands regarding the crucial legislation were addressed it would not support it.
Addressing mediapersons after the meeting, Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said excluding the controversial bills, the Congress was ready to cooperate in the passage of others.He said the Bills on which there was a broad consensus could be taken up for consideration and passing in the first phase of the Session during February 23-March 16 and others in the second phase of the session between April 25 and May 13.Mr Kharge said eight to nine issues such as Arunachal, JNU, Jat reservation, inflation, excise duty were raised in the meeting.
”The government has assured us that it was ready to discuss all issues but we will see what will be the government’s stand in the House,” he said.The veteran Congress leader said his party would cooperate in passing the Bills if the opposition was allowed to discuss all the issues thoroughly.
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said Congress will help the government pass Bills in both Houses on the basis of merit. ”The main responsibility of running Parliament is of the ruling government,” Azad said.