New Delhi: The Congress and other opposition parties will demand a full-scale discussion on the consequences of the agriculture bills at an all-party meeting on November 28, when the law is brought for repeal, which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, opposition leaders. Said on Monday.
The Prime Minister’s presence at this customary all-party meeting before the session would have added significance this time to the backdrop of his announcement on Guru Purab that three controversial agricultural laws would be repealed.
The meeting convened by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister will discuss the agenda of the government and demands of the opposition, list of official bills and items for long debate. But the opposition changed its earlier plan to bring the party to power on several issues, including Rafale and Pegasus. Now, three bills make the centrality of opposition functions in the session for policy-making of the government and dividend tracking ahead of elections.
A senior opposition leader on condition of anonymity said, “We will certainly demand a proper debate on the repeal bill.” There are many questions to answer. Why did it take a year and 700 deaths for the government to repeal those faulty bills?”
The PM always addressed these all-party meetings at the end of the discussion. This time too his speech will give the general direction of the government’s strategy for the session. The PM had said on earlier occasions that MPs should work for the nation and there is scope for debate on all subjects.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi and former party President Rahul Gandhi have indicated that the fight will continue on the new demands of the agriculture sector. Sonia Gandhi in her statement on Friday referred to remunerative prices for farmers and a “huge increase in the cost of diesel and agricultural commodities used in the fields”.
Rahul’s letter to farmers read: “The struggle is not over yet. Getting remunerative MSP for agricultural produce, scrapping the controversial Electricity Amendment Act, reducing the tax burden on everything used for farming, reducing the unexpected rise in diesel prices and debt burden are serious issues.
Apart from the repeal bill, the government is expected to bring a data privacy bill to be passed during the session. The other two important bills for the ruling regime are the National University for Pharmaceutical and Research Amendment Bill and the Assisted Reproduction Bill which has been pending for some time now.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will also preside over the sittings of their respective houses. The winter session, which begins on November 29, is significant as the previous season was almost over due to the Pegasus spy controversy.
