Monsoon Session: Opposition united on five fronts against Narendra Modi govt

Parliament's Monsoon Session is all set to be a stormy affair as a united Opposition is keen to open five different fronts against the NDA government.

Officially the Opposition led by Congress will meet tomorrow morning to discuss their strategy for Monsoon Session but sources say the agenda has already been set on the lone theme: All out attack on government.

Opposition led by Congress has filed various adjournment notices seeking debates and discussions on five main issues.

FARMERS' DISTRESS

Farmers' suicides and protests that have erupted across country is the main weapon which the Opposition plans to launch at government.

Opposition will raise farm loan waiver, Minimum Support Price and Mandsaur killings in both houses of Parliament. Opposition plans to raise hue and cry about agrarian crisis not just in Parliament but also outside it.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will be addressing a Kisan rally in Rajasthan's Banswara on July 19.

KASHMIR

Both the houses are likely to witness heated discussions on Kashmir issue. The Opposition will ask government to spell out its Kashmir policy. The Opposition will also demand a statement from government on Amarnath attack.

The Opposition will demand from the government to put on record their strategy vis-a-vis Pakistan.

INDIA-CHINA STANDOFF

Though the government reached out to the Opposition, and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj as well as Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh tried to set the record straight on China standoff, the Opposition is in no mood to buy government side of story.

The matter will be raised in both houses and demand will be raised that NDA government should make a statement on the entire episode. Opposition will also ask as to what was discussed between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The matter will be raised in the Parliament's standing committee on external affairs.

STATE OF ECONOMY

Job cuts in IT sector, impact of demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on the state of economy are the issues that the Opposition has planned to rake up in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha during the Monsoon Session.

A discussion on the fallout of demonetisation and impact of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on investment and employment will be sought.

MOB LYNCHING, ATROCITIES ON DALITS, BEEF BAN

The issues of mob lynching, atrocities on Dalits and government's notification for ban on sale of cattle for slaughter are also set to see some heated exchanges between the Opposition and the ruling parties during the Monsoon Session.

These issues will be raised not just inside but outside Parliament too. Congress has planned a three-day international conference in Bangalore, where Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will speak. Other Opposition leaders and some international dignitaries are also likely to attend the conference from July 21-23.

OTHER ISSUES

Apart from the five hot issues, the flood situation in Assam and other parts of country, Gorkhaland agitation, disinvestment of PSUs and Air India sell out, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Israel visit and the fall out of it and some Bills will be the attraction of the Parliament session.

Government has zeroed in on various important bills. The following legislations will be introduced in the Lok Sabha:

advertisement
• The Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2017
• The Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property (Amendment) Bill, 2017
• The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment) Bill, 2017
• The Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Public-Private Partnership) Bill, 2017
• 'The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017
• The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2017
• The Footwear Design and Development Institute Bill, 2017

• The Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015
• The Labour Code Bill
• The Constitution amendment bill on national backward commission
• The Banking Resolution bill
• The Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill, 2017

ALSO READ |Monsoon session begins tomorrow: What to expect over 19 sittings of Parliament

ALSO WATCH | UPA picks former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar as presidential nominee