Debate On JNU First, GST Later: Opposition's Formula For Parliament Budget Session

New Delhi: Opposition parties led by the Congress have promised to cooperate with the government in passing Bills if issues that they want to raise are first discussed thoroughly in the Budget session of Parliament that begins today.

The session is set to be stormy from right after the President's Address to both Houses on Tuesday morning, with the opposition saying it favours a "disruption-free session," but also making it clear it that it will not pause for breath as it attacks the government on issues like the JNU controversy, the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad last month, protests for reservation in Haryana and the Pathankot terror attack.

The opposition says debate on these issues must precede bringing legislation over which there are differences - like the Goods and Services Tax bill which is crucial to the government's reforms plans. Those Bills it suggested at a meeting of all parties today, can be  deferred to the second half of the budget session, which will see a recess this year of over a month.

The government asserted that it is as eager to discuss issues like the controversy over an event at the prestigious JNU or the Jawaharlal Nehru University earlier this month where anti-India slogans were raised and urged Parliament to thoroughly discuss their causes and consequences and show the way forward.
 "The government is committed to uphold the Constitution in letter and spirit and firmly believes in peace, unity and integration of the nation as the key operational principles for delivering on the development promised to the people," said Mr Naidu, in a clear indication that the government will counter the opposition's attack over JNU students being charged with sedition with the nationalism argument that ruling party BJP has used.   

The Congress, the Left and others have pushed for a debate on JNU on Wednesday, the second day of the session. The government said it is willing to consider that. If that happens, a motion of thanks to the President's address may take place only around March 1, after the rail budget, economic survey and the union Budget, which is scheduled for Monday, February 29.

Regional parties like the Akali Dal, Telangana Rashtra Samithi and Janata Dal (United) have urged the Congress to let the houses function, allowing them as to raise issues critical to them. The last several parliament sessions have been washed out by opposition protests.