New Delhi:
The opposition walked out of Parliament - over the delimitation issue - as the budget session's second half began this morning, in which more spats over issues like 'Hindi imposition', Waqf amendments, and the United States' tariffs are expected.
Here are the top 10 points in this story:
- Union Health Minister JP Nadda, speaking in the Rajya Sabha, condemned the opposition walk-out, declaring they needed a "refresher course" on rules and regulations governing functioning of Parliament. BJP MP Rekha Sharma also criticised the opposition, accusing them of "always obstructing the House".
- Delimitation - likely next year - has emerged as a red-flag issue. The southern states, led by Tamil Nadu, believe redrawing parliamentary constituencies based on current population data will leave them with fewer seats, and less of a voice, in Parliament, despite having controlled population growth and contributed more to the Indian economy.
- As a corollary, they also fear more seats for northern states - many of which are Hindi-speaking and seen as BJP bastions - will allow the party to dominate future Lok Sabha elections, and also tilt the flow of grants and funding from the central government.
- Home Minister Amit Shah sought to allay these fears in Tamil Nadu last week, when he insisted the southern states would not lose a single seat, but Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin pointed out he did not also say the northern states would not benefit.
- Amendments to the Waqf Bill - which includes changes like nominating non-Muslim members to bodies that manage Muslim charitable properties, and which led to a row - and discussions over the BJP's three-language formula for schools, which Tamil Nadu views as 'Hindi imposition' are also expected to lead to confrontation.
- On 'Hindi imposition', Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan told the Lok Sabha that Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK, which has spearheaded these protests, is "dishonest" and is "not committed to the students" of the state. "They are doing politics..." he declared.
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin has been leading the counterattack, and has invited counterparts from seven states, including Bengal's Mamata Banerjee and Punjab's Bhagwant Mann, to a meeting in Chennai next week to discuss this issue.
- Another topic that could provoke a BJP vs opposition face-off is tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, who has declared India a "very big abuser" of import duties. The deportation of Indians living illegally in that country - triggered by videos of shackled prisoners being flown to India on US military aircraft - could also be discussed.
- Among other high-profile bills due this session is the Finance Bill, which clears the Union Budget. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is also expected to table a budget for ethnic violence-hit Manipur, which came under President's Rule last month.
- Other issues, like duplication of voter ID numbers, something opposition parties have frequently alleged before and after election defeats in recent years, may also be raised.
