Oppn to target Modi govt on farm laws, Covid-19, fuel prices in Monsoon Session

During the roughy 150-minute-long all-party meeting, over 40 leaders from 33 ruling and Opposition parties spoke on a variety of issues

Price rise, farmers' protest, Covid-19 management and vaccine shortage will find a forceful echo in the Monsoon Session of Parliament starting Monday even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised that his government was ready for "healthy and fruitful" discussions on various issues.

Modi's remarks came during the customary all-party meeting convened by the government ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament as Opposition parties made it clear that they are upset with the way the government is treating Parliament by reducing it to an institution that passes Bills but does not discuss issues concening people.

During the session, the issue of an international media consortium report would also be brought up in the two Houses. It claimed that over 300 verified mobile phone numbers, including of two serving ministers, over 40 journalists, three opposition leaders and one sitting judge besides scores of business persons and activists, could have been targeted for hacking through an Israeli spyware sold only to government agencies,

Read | Over 40 Indian journalists, activists on list of potential Pegasus surveillance targets

During the roughy 150-minute-long meeting, over 40 leaders from 33 ruling and Opposition parties spoke on a variety of issues that should be taken up during the Session that will end on August 13.

Modi said issues concerning people should be raised in an amicable manner and the government should be given an opportunity to respond while emphasising that it is the responsibility of all to create such a conducive environment.

Read | Opposition parties to give adjournment notice in Parliament over farmers' issues: RSP leader Premachandran

Expressing hope that the sessions will run smoothly and complete its work, Modi said MPs truly know the ground-level situations and hence, their participation in the discussions enriches the decision-making process.

Emphasising that the government is ready for discussion on any topic, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that the government intends to bring 31 Bills, including 17 new Bills and two finance-related businesses.

Leaders from Opposition parties emphasised that Bills should be sent for scrutiny by Parliamentary panels and that they wanted discussions on price rise, fuel price hike, farmers' protest, Covid-19 management, economy and situation on India-China border among others. They were also in unison over demanding that the contentious farm laws should be repealed.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Congress Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary raised the issue of the post of Deputy Speaker remaining vacant, sources said. The Congress leaders also emphasised that they would also need a discussion on Rafale.

Trinamool Congress leaders Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Derek O'Brien raised the issue of fuel price hike, vaccine shortage, "ruining" of federal structure, re-introduction of MPLADs and "motivated" functioning of central agencies.

Read | Centre plans slew of Bills in Monsoon session; Opposition to corner it over Covid management, fuel prices

Besides other leaders, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha floor leader Elamaram Kareem was vocal about farmers' issues and demanded a separate discussion on the issue at the earliest. Kareem also demanded re-examination of the Labour Codes and a new Bill to negate the ill-effects of the existing one, for which he got support from several quarters.

Samajwadi Party's Rajya Sabha leader Ramgopal Yadav raised the issue of governors overstepping their mandate, referring to issues in West Bengal and Maharashtra.

RSP's NK Premachandran, sources said, was critical of the way the government was treating Parliament and said time should be found to discuss issues of national importance.

Sources said parties like TRS, Trinamool, YSR Congress and BSP also raised the issue of Schedule 10 of the Constitution that deals with the disqualification of lawmakers who are party-hoppers. Separate petitions by TMC and YSRC against three MPs are pending before the Lok Sabha Speaker and they have demanded a time-bound disposal of such petitions.

BJD leaders raised the issue of early approval for their demand for setting up Odisha Legislative Council while DMK took up the issues of GST devolution and NEET exam issue.

Leaders of Shiv Sena, JDU, AIADMK, NCP, TDP, Akali Dal, RJD, AAP, Muslim League, AJSU, RLP, MDMK, Tamil Maanila Congress, Kerala Congress, JMM, MNF, RPI, NPF and Apna Dal among others attended the meeting.