The Congress wants a discussion on President's Rule in Uttarakhand in both houses before any other issue is discussed.
Highlights
- Uttarakhand crisis featured prominently at all-party meet on Sunday
- Government says ready to discuss any issue, seeks Opposition cooperation
- Pakistan's stance over Pathankot probe also likely to be a prickly issue
The imposition of President's Rule in Uttarakhand is set to dominate the second part of Parliament's budget session that begins today. With the Congress pushing for discussion on the issue in both houses first before any other issue, a question mark has been placed over the fate of the legislative agenda lined up by the government.
Here are the Ten Facts about the big Parliament story:
The Uttarakhand issue figured prominently at an all-party meeting called by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Sunday. The BJP argued that any discussion now will be inappropriate, since on April 27, the Supreme Court will hear the Centre's appeal against the high court judgment nixing President's Rule.
"We requested that (they) don't use excuse of rules in order to crush the issues that we have bought up... They are not saving democracy and not respecting the Constitution," said Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader in Lok Sabha. "We will raise adjournment motion."
Union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy said, "The government is ready to discuss any issue. But we would prefer going by the rule book and expect the opposition cooperates."
The other ticklish issue for the government will be the setback in the joint India-Pakistan probe into the terror attack in Pathankot. The Congress wants Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spell out his policy on Pakistan after envoy Abdul Basit hinted that India will not be allowed to visit Pakistan to collect evidence in the case.
Most opposition parties also want a discussion on the drought prevailing in 13 states.
The financial business related to general and rail budget tops the government's agenda for the session beginning on Monday, which has just 15 sittings.
Besides ratification of President's Rule, two ordinances -- the Uttarakhand appropriation (vote on account) ordinance, 2016 and the enemy property (amendment and validation) second ordinance, 2016 -- are also on the agenda in the 15 sittings of Parliament.
The government is also keen to pass two bills from the finance ministry: the Insolvency and Bankruptcy code, pitched as a must to make it easier for sick companies to be wound up revived and the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment bill, which the government hopes will help its efforts to reduce the play of black money.
The acrimony is also expected to hit the bill relating to introduction of Goods and Services Tax, which has been passed by the Lok Sabha and reported by the select committee of Rajya Sabha.
The government - which is in minority in the upper house, Rajya Sabha -- hopes to increase its numbers marginally as the first few members nominated by it will take oath.
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