The Government has clarified that passing the Food Security legislation in Parliament was its most important agenda for the Monsoon session beginning Monday.
Speaking to reporters after an all-party meeting chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the Government was willing to discuss all issues in Parliament. “But all that we respectfully ask the Opposition is to co-operate with the Government in passing the essential legislative work, which is primarily the responsibility of Parliament,” he said, and hoped that Parliament in its wisdom would find it justified to convert the Food Security Ordinance into an Act. “A lot of time was wasted in the previous two to three sessions and there is lot of legislative agenda pending before Parliament. And I sincerely hope that all sections of the House will co-operate in making it very productive and very constructive session,” the Prime Minister said.
Drawing flak from the Opposition for its “non-serious” approach in holding the session, the Centre also offered to extend the session so that more time could be allotted for discussing key Bills .
Unlike the Budget session, the Opposition does not have many issues to corner the Centre with and disrupt the proceedings of the House. However, the Opposition parties are likely to raise issues such as Telangana, the Supreme Court’s orders on reservation and disallowing criminals to contest elections . The Government has listed 64 Bills for introduction, consideration, passage and withdrawal. There is also a feeling among the Opposition parties that allowing the Centre to pass legislations, such as the one on food security, in a peaceful manner will result in strengthening the poll plank of the Congress ahead of several Assembly elections and the general election in 2014.
CPI(M), TMC on same side
The meeting also saw the CPI(M) and the Trinamool Congress taking a similar position on the division of States. While Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee demanded a categorical assurance from the Centre that no new States will be formed, CPI(M)’s deputy leader P. Karunakaran said deviating from the principle of language-based States could have larger repercussions across the country.