Budget session to begin today, opposition all set to nail govt on JNU row

From Modi's acerbic comments to JNU row, the opposition has enough ammunition to rock the Parliament proceedings today

PM Narendra Modi’s acerbic comments about attempts to destabilise his government and his party’s strong remarks on the events in Jawaharlal Nehru University indicate another fractious session of Parliament. This is despite the government attempting to deflect possible conflict with Opposition parties ahead of the Budget session, which begins on Tuesday. It is hoping the Opposition desists from disrupting the President’s Address to the joint session of the two Houses, customarily delivered at the start of the first session of the year. Disruption of this speech rarely happens and would indicate a new low.

To meet the opposition halfway, the government was ready to sequence bills in a way that contentious issues like the goods and services tax (GST) were left for the last, and by suspending other matters at hand to take up issues that are agitating the Opposition, like JNU.

It was also being careful about not roiling the waters. For instance, although the “ábsconding” students of JNU were back on campus, the police was still awaiting instructions on ebign allowed into the campus. BJP leaders who have spoken out of turn were publicly upbraided by seniors. Haryana finance minister Abhimanyu, for example, did not mince words in criticising Kurukshetra MP R K Saini for anti-Jat remarks and the party issued the latter a showcause notice. When CPI leader D Raja drew  the attention of parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu to the remark of his party colleagues about Raja’s daughter’s involvement in JNU politics and their advice that Raja ‘shoot’ her, Naidu instantly went on national television to slam the conduct of a man who is a party colleague.

All these remarks were being described as the work of “over-enthusiastic elements” much like the way party leaders slammed the statements of Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti and others.

However, it seems the Congress and even the normally responsible Left parties are unmoved. CPI(M) chief Sitaram Yechury warned that if D Raja was arrested (cases have been filed against him in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere), Parliament would not run. After a meeting of the Congress Working Committee, party head Sonia Gandhi accused the government of muzzling the voice of Opposition parties, civil society and students. “(They) are hell-bent on destroying the spirit of enquiry, debate and dissent. The BJP-RSS failed to restore the economy and propel growth. It took 21 months for the PM to engage with the Opposition. We want Parliament to function but it is the government’s responsibility to make it run,” she warned.

For the record, other political parties said they were ready to get Parliament to transact business. However, Yechury indicated Left parties’ view that the government was, by its actions and statements, inviting disruption.

All this suggests a disturbed session, with discussion in the government on whether it would be worthwhile to have a second part of the session at all, with assembly elections in five states round the corner. If the decision to scrap the second part of the session is taken, GST will be postponed to the monsoon session.