An intense confrontation seems to be brewing between the Treasury and Opposition benches as an unusually short winter session of Parliament begins on Monday.
The Opposition will try to corner the government over issues such as the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Red Fort bombing and air pollution.
Buoyed by its landslide victory in Bihar, the government appears determined to block discussions on controversial matters. A fresh FIR against members of the Gandhi family in the National Herald money-laundering case is likely to escalate tensions.
The government convened the customary all-party meeting on Sunday, with the statements from the leaders appearing to herald an imminent confrontation. The Opposition flagged the unusually short duration of the session to accuse the Centre of lacking interest in running Parliament.
“The winter session is only 19 days long, (and) discussions can take place only for 15 days. This will likely be the shortest winter session ever. Therefore, it seems the government itself wants to derail Parliament,” the Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, told reporters after the meeting.
At the meeting, chaired by defence minister Rajnath Singh, a united Opposition demanded a discussion on the SIR and the Red Fort blast. The government did not make any commitments.
Sources suggested the government might be open to a broader discussion on the “need for electoral reforms” but remains reluctant to allow a debate specifically on
the SIR”.
The Centre’s stand is that the Election Commission is an autonomous body. The issue had disrupted the monsoon session.
“The blast in Delhi is, in some ways, a testimony to the failures of our legal and home affairs departments,” Gogoi said.
“The second is the security of democracy. There should be a discussion on the security of voter lists and election security.”
Asked about the demand for a debate on the SIR, parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said: “I cannot say what issues we will bring up for discussion. The EC does its job. The EC is independent and autonomous, and a constitutional body. Everyone knows how much harm attacking it causes to the country. Yet, the Congress and others keep raising it.”
At the meeting, Trinamool presented data highlighting how Parliament sessions were getting shorter under the present government.
“The BJP will find ways to disrupt.… Opposition parties want Parliament to run,” Trinamool’s House leader in the Rajya Sabha, Derek O’Brien, said.
“The government is answerable to Parliament. Parliament is answerable to the people. When Parliament doesn’t run, the government is responsible to no one.”
The government has lined up 13 bills for consideration, discussion and passage during the session, scheduled to end on December 19. Sources said the government could, in a rerun of the monsoon session, opt to pass bills amid the din if the Opposition persisted in disrupting proceedings.
Rijiju, however, claimed the atmosphere was “cordial and positive” at a “very good and very productive” all-party meeting.
“Everyone participated and presented their party’s views. We will consider all the suggestions,” he told reporters.
The government’s floor managers are looking to exploit the disunity in the Opposition ranks. Trinamool and the AAP have in the past adopted floor strategies at odds with the wider Opposition’s. The Opposition parties are to meet on Monday morning to finalise their plan before the session starts.
“Not all Opposition parties are preparing to stall Parliament over the SIR. Some are interested in running the House while raising issues. No party said during the meeting that they will stall proceedings if the SIR isn’t taken up,” Rijiju said.
At the business advisory committee meeting in the evening, the Opposition reiterated its demand for a discussion on the SIR. The ruling side sought a debate on 150 years of Vande Mataram — an issue the BJP wants to highlight ahead of the Bengal elections.