Preparing the ground to counter the Opposition during the Monsoon Session, the Modi government said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will make a statement in Parliament on her role in the Lalit Modi episode.
It also reiterated that neither Swaraj nor Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje will resign on the issue.
“There is no question of accepting ultimatum by anybody. From where did the question of resignation arise? Nobody can dictate terms to the government. No Union Minister has done anything illegal or immoral,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said after an all-party meet on the eve of the Monsoon Session, which starts on Tuesday.
Naidu was responding to comments made by the Leader of Opposition (in the Rajya Sabha) Ghulam Nabi Azad that if Modi was interested in running the Monsoon Session smoothly, he should remove External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Key Bills The monsoon session is set to be stormy, making the fate of key Bills, such as the Constitution Amendment Bill for the introduction of Goods & Services Tax (GST), uncertain. If the GST legislation is not passed during the session, it will be almost impossible to implement the new indirect tax regime from April 1, 2016.
The government cannot use the ordinance route — as used for Land Bill — for GST.
Further, confrontation is also expected on bribery allegations against Congress Chief Ministers. A US Justice Department report said that New Jersey-based construction management company Louis Berger International Inc (LBI) bribed officials in India to secure government contracts.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Pratap Rudy quoting the news reports said that the US is talking about giving bribe to then CMs of Goa and Assam for bagging contracts.
The NDA government said it has list of past and present Congress CMs whose names were mentioned in various scams.
He said, if there are demand for discussions on two CMs (Raje and Chouhan both from the BJP), why can’t be on others too.
Cong sticks to its guns The Congress has maintained its stand of not allowing Parliament to function if the Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh Chief Ministers do not resign.
But many parties felt a washout of Parliament is not a solution.
“This is not correct. Parliament will run but government must allow discussion,” JD (U) President Sharad Yadav said when asked about the Congress stand.
Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav was sceptical about the smooth functioning of Parliament. “I do not think this will be resolved. Weather seems bad from now itself.”
Report on Land Bill soon Meanwhile, the Joint Parliamentary Panel vetting the Land Bill has got another extension. “There is a fresh request to grant some more time. Now, the report is expected to be submitted in the first week of August,” Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan told reporters.