OPPOSITIONparties drew the battle lines on the eve of Parliament’s Budget session on Sunday as they asked the Government at an all-party meeting to allow discussion on a host of contentious issues such as the Uttar Pradesh Government’s order to eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route and exam paper leaks, including of the prestigious NEET. The Government, which breaking from the recent practice invited a number of smaller parties for the meeting to signal its political outreach, conveyed its willingness to discuss all issues but Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju stressed that it should be in accordance with the rules. He called for cooperation from all parties for running Parliament smoothly, saying it is a collective responsibility. Representatives from the JD(U), a BJP ally, the BJD and the YSR Congress Party demanded special category status for Bihar, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, respectively, at the meeting of 44 parties, including some having only one MP.

 

During the meeting, which was chaired by DefenceMinister Rajnath Singh Opposition RJD echoed the demand for Bihar. Congress leader K Suresh told reporters that his party wasjoinedbyother I.N.D.I.A. blocmembersin seeking the Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker’s position for the Opposition according to convention. He said they also flagged the need for discussion in Parliament on a host of otherissues,including the spate in terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, the Manipur situation, train accidents, unemployment and price rise. The Congress flagged the issue related to alleged irregularities in the exams conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, whose chairperson resigned recently for reportedly personal reasons.

 

The stand of several opposition parties, including the Congress, the DMK and the AAP,madeit allbutitwascertain that the political heat sparkedbytheUttarPradesh Government’s order asking eateriesandcartsselling eatablestodisplay theirowners’ names on the route of kanwarias willreach Parliament when thesessionbegins from Monday. Samajwadi Party’s Ram GopalYadav alleged that the move is clearly targeted at Muslimsandaccused theruling BJP in the state of pursuing communally divisive politics. Suresh said Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi criticised the decision at the allparty meeting, while AAP’s Sanjay Singh added that he also spoke on similar lines. Singh said he raised the issue of misuse of central probe agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate, and accused the Narendra Modi Government of targeting AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal,whoislodgedin the Tihar jail in the excise policy case.