The Opposition on Tuesday sought a discussion on the newly enacted VB-G RAM G Act and the SIR at an all-party meeting ahead of the budget session of Parliament, but the government ruled out any such debate, asserting that there was no question of going back on the decisions.

The budget session will begin on Wednesday with the President addressing a joint sitting of both Houses. The Economic Survey will be tabled on January 29, while the Union budget will be presented on Sunday.

Ahead of the session, the government convened the customary all-party meeting to seek cooperation for the smooth conduct of parliamentary business. Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said the government was firm on the VB-G RAM G Act, which replaced the UPA-era rural job scheme MGNREGA. “Once a law is before the nation, we have to follow it. We cannot reverse the gear and go back,” he told reporters.

On the Opposition’s demand for a discussion on the SIR, Rijiju said the issue had already been debated at length in the previous session. “A fresh debate is uncalled for,” he said.

The government had pushed through the contentious VB-G RAM G Bill by voice vote during the winter session, amid protests by the Opposition. Opposition parties had demanded that the bill be referred to a parliamentary committee for detailed scrutiny, a request rejected by the Treasury benches.

At the all-party meeting, the Opposition reiterated its demand for a discussion on the SIR, alleging widespread discrepancies. “We strongly raised our demand for a discussion on the SIR, Bengal’s dues, the misuse of the ED and other agencies in poll-bound states, and the need for the government to listen to the Opposition and allow adequate time to raise issues. Parliament is not a one-way street,” Trinamool Rajya Sabha member Sagarika Ghose said.

Rijiju, however, said the focus of the session should remain on the budget and suggested that members raise other concerns during the debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s address.