The Monsoon Session of Parliament will begin on July 20 and continue till August 11, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi announced on July 1. This is the first time the government will face the Parliament after violence broke out in Manipur. The Opposition is also bracing itself for a showdown with the government in the Rajya Sabha on the Delhi ordinance, that curtails the powers of the elected State government.
Mr. Joshi tweeted, “Monsoon Session, 2023 of Parliament will commence from 20th July and continue till 11th August. Urge all parties to contribute towards productive discussions on Legislative Business and other items during the Monsoon Session.”
The Opposition has questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s continued silence on Manipur. At the all-party meeting held on June 24, the Union government confirmed that there had been 131 deaths, the casualty figure has risen since then. But their demand to take an all-party delegation to visit the State was rejected. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi is the only prominent Opposition leader to visit the strife-ridden State. The government will be facing tough questions on the issue.
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“We hope Joshi-avare (sir) that the Govt. will allow discussion on ALL issues of concern to the people that the Opposition has been raising continuously, including those on which the Prime Minister has maintained a studied silence,” Congress general secretary (communication) Jairam Ramesh tweeted quoting Mr. Joshi’s earlier tweet.
The Opposition would also want a structured debate on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), which the Prime Minister pitched for during his recent speech in Madhya Pradesh. Several political parties have not come out with a clear position on the UCC and the debate would clarify their stand.
Structured debate
The Opposition unity will be tested if the government brings in a bill to replace the May 19 ordinance that seeks to amend the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991. It curtails the powers of the elected State government over the bureaucrats posted in Delhi. Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been canvassing for support from all Opposition parties to stall the bill in the Rajya Sabha.
The Congress, in spite of pressure from the AAP at the joint Opposition party on June 23, has not made their position public, though, as per sources, they assured the AAP that they would not vote in favour of an “anti-constitutional bill”. But even with the Congress’ support, the Rajya Sabha arithmetic is not in favour of the Opposition. As per the calculations handed over by Mr. Kejriwal in his meeting with the Opposition leaders, the NDA has 102 members, and 18 Opposition parties together have 105 members. But seven parties — with 23 members that include the Biju Janata Dal and the YSR Congress, that has nine member each — hold the key. The two parties, over the last nine years, have voted in favour of the government, though, since this bill is considered a direct attack on “federalism”. The AAP is hoping to get them on their side.
