Govt's bargain to Opposition: PM will speak on intolerance, but support reformist Bills

Earlier in the day, Venkaiah Naidu hosted an all party meeting that the PM also attended briefly

The government indicated today that it could go farther than its record in the last 18 months in accommodating the demands of Opposition parties during the winter session of Parliament that begins Thursday. This, interestingly, could even include Prime Minister Narendra Modi replying to a debate on the issue of 'intolerance' but the government wants a more cooperative Opposition, on key reform Bills like the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Constitution Amendment Bill.

The first two days of the session, on Thursday and Friday, will be devoted to a discussion on the contribution of BR Ambedkar to framing the Constitution of India.

The Opposition today demanded that the government take up the issue of intolerance for a short duration discussion soonest. It also wants a resolution on the issue. The government is unlikely to accede to a demand for a resolution, but it could agree to the PM making a statement on the issue in both the Houses. This, however, will be possible only after he returns from the climate change talks in Paris by December 1.

But the government, willing to give the Opposition its pound of flesh on 'intolerance', will expect more support on the GST and other Bills. With the crucial Bihar elections behind it and expectations of BJP winning barely any of the five assembly polls scheduled for early next year in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, the government is keener to push through its reformist agenda.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said after a meeting of the National Democratic Alliance that the ruling coalition was prepared to discuss issues of so called 'intolerance' also, although these pertain to the domain of states. He said the government has decided to have a dialogue with the Congress, and address concerns of the Opposition to GST and other bills.

Earlier in the day, Naidu hosted an all-party meeting that the PM also attended briefly. The PM told Opposition leaders that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will talk to them to address their concerns on the GST Bill. Naidu said the Congress was in favour of the GST Bill in the meeting.