The Winter Session of Parliament is all likely to be a stormy one as both the Government and the Opposition stuck to their stands on a debate with voting on the FDI in retail.
In an all-party meeting convened by the Speaker Meira Kumar, the Opposition said that the Centre has violated an assurance given to Parliament that FDI in retail will not be allowed without proper consultations with stakeholders.
The Government said it was up to the committee on assurances to see if there are any complaints and added that it will look at the record of the then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s speech in Parliament.
The Opposition parties have reached out to the SP, BSP and the DMK for a possible support on the a motion with voting on the FDI retail. The three supporters of the UPA Government, however, have not taken a final call on the issue.
The Government is trying to capitalise on the differences within the NDA camp. The Shiromani Akali Dal had supported the FDI in retail.
The Left parties have reiterated their stand that the Government should allow voting on the FDI issue.
“We are going by rules and procedures. There is no base in Government’s opposition to a proper debate with voting,” the CPI leader D. Raja, said. The Opposition parties are depending on the statements made by the leaders of SP, BSP and the DMK against retail FDI outside Parliament.
No-trust motion
The Trinamool Congress’s move for a no-confidence motion is not likely to materialise as the party did not get much support from the Opposition.
The party, sources said, has not initiated any discussions with other parties to garner support for the no-confidence motion.
The BJP said it will cooperate in running the House. “But, our pre-condition is that the issue on which an assurance was given to the House be taken up first under a rule that entails voting,” Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj told reporters after the all-party meeting.
The Congress said there are conventions in Parliament that policy decisions are not put to vote.
jigeesh.am@thehindu.co.in