NEW DELHI, Aug 4: Virtually demanding a quid pro quo from the Government in the Monsoon Session of Parliament, BJP-led NDA today said it will cooperate on crucial financial legislations provided the opposition is given space to raise issues of national interest.
After a meeting of NDA floor leaders of both Houses of Parliament, Deputy Leader of BJP in Rajya Sabha Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Government “has too much on its plate” as it intends to get five Ordinances and 44 Bills passed in the short session.
“If legislation is crucial for the Government, articulation of issues of national interest is important for the opposition,” Prasad told reporters.
The opposition contended that it will support passage of important financial bills provided it is given opportunity to flag issues like state of the economy and the sliding Rupee, Telangana, Uttarakhand, China’s aggression, the tiff between the IB and CBI, Food Security Bill and frequent hikes in petrol and diesel prices.
He suggested that the Government should prioritise its legislative agenda as the session has only 16 working days.
Sources, however, said the session is likely to be stormy as it will be followed by elections to five state assemblies. The Opposition also wants to corner the Government keeping the Lok Sabha polls – due early next year – in mind.
High on the agenda of the NDA, which comprises Shiromani Akali Dal and Shiv Sena other than the BJP, are the recent floods in Uttarakhand and the Telangana issue.
Aware that the Government cannot bring a Bill on forming a separate Telangana in this session as several processes have to be completed, BJP wants to embarrass the Government with its demand that the Bill be brought and passed in the monsoon session itself.
On the insurance and pensions bills, BJP is of the firm view that the recommendation of Standing Committee on Finance allowing only 26 per cent FDI be followed by the Government, sources said.
“Government’s announcement that Telangana will be formed has been done for political gains. There are leaders within Congress who are for Telangana while others in the party are opposed to it. The Government should clarify as the ruling party is divided,” Prasad said.
He maintained that the NDA Government had formed three states – Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh – after wide consultations and after taking all on board.
Prasad said NDA supports the Food Security Bill in principle but wants a serious debate on various aspects of the Ordinance before it becomes an Act.
The NDA expressed concern over the differences between IB and CBI which are out in the open.
Prasad said this will impinge national security.
Misuse of CBI, a favourite topic with the BJP, also figures in the NDA list. The opposition is miffed that former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, instead of being made an accused, has been made a witness in the cash-for-transfer scam involving his nephew.
“This has been done in utter disregard to the evidence present in the CBI charge sheet itself,” Prasad alleged.
The opposition also said China’s growing aggression at the borders has now become a “weekly affair”. NDA wants a debate on the issue in Parliament.
“The ISI sponsored attack in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, near the Indian Consulate is a matter of concern. Earlier the Indian embassy in Kabul has been attacked,” Prasad said.
The NDA would also demand a discussion on what policy the Government plans to adopt as part of its strategy to deal with the developments in the Af-Pak region after the NATO forces withdraw from Afghanistan.
NDA also plans to raise the issue of dilution of FDI norms for multi-brand retail. (PTI)
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