Monsoon session set for stormy start

New Delhi, Jul 25 (PTI) The plunge in relations between
the Government and BJP in India has set the stage for a stormy
start to the Monsoon session of Parliament beginning Monday
but issues like Hindu terror and developments in Gujarat may
give the treasury benches a respite from a combined opposition
assault.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has given all indications of
a confrontation and possible disruption of both the Houses on
the issue of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
chargesheeting a Minister of Gujarat state in west India in
the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case.
Calling it "fabricated", the party is expected to attack
the government accusing it of politically misusing the
investigating agency to target rivals. But the ruling Congress
and its allies are expected to counter the charges, saying
government has no role in a case in which Supreme Court had
directed the CBI to take over the probe.
Price rise, the hike in prices of petroleum products, a
spate of rail accidents, including last week's mishap in West
Bengal state in east India, and the anti-Maoist strategy are
expected to provide ammunition to the opposition parties to
corner the government.
With government planning to bring the controversial
Civil Nuclear Liability Bill and Women's Reservation Bill in
the month-long session, the division in the opposition ranks
are expected to become more acute.
The Constitution (108 Amendment) Bill, seeking to provide
33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha (Lower
House of Indian Parliament) and state Assemblies, has already
been passed by the Rajya Sabha House (Upper of Indian
Parliament) amid stiff opposition from parties like Samajwadi
Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Janata Dal-United
(JD-U).
The Yadav trio -- Mulayam Singh, Lalu Prasad and Sharad
Yadav -- have been staunchly opposed to the bill in its
current form and want a quota within quota for women belonging
to OBCs and minorities.

The government might feel the heat from the BJP and the
Left parties on the nuclear liability bill, but Congress
managers claim that the support of Samajwadi Party, Bahujan
Samaj Party (BSP) and RJD could see the bill through.
The recent Indo-Pak talks, Manipur blockade, 2G spectrum
allocation controversy and the safe passage to former Union
Carbide chief Warren Anderson after the Bhopal gas tragedy are
some of the issues sought to be raised by BJP and other
parties.
The SP and RJD have suggested discussion on the issue of
Hindu terror, a matter on which BJP has strong views.
With Assembly elections in Bihar state in the east not
far away, rival sides are expected to make the best use of the
session. While the opposition will seek to embarrass the
government on the issue of spiralling prices, the Congress and
the RJD-LJP could raise the latest alleged scam involving the
Nitish Kumar government.
"Price rise will be a key issue for us," BJP leaders
said, adding that the party will stage a march from Parliament
to Rashtrapati Bhawan to submit 10 crore signatures to
President Pratibha Patil on July 29.
Congress, on its part, is planning to target the BJP over
the illegal mining scam in Karnataka state in south India.
Among the bills on the priority agenda of the government
is the one seeking to increase the salary and allowances of
Members of Parliament, Civil Nuclear Liability Bill and the
Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill.

Union Ministers Sharad Pawar, Mamata Banerjee and A Raja
are expected to be targeted in the session which concludes on
August 27.
While Agriculture Minister Pawar could find himself in
hot waters for price rise of essential commodities, Railway
Minister Banerjee for increasing rail mishaps and Telecom
Minister Raja for alleged scam in the 2G spectrum.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is the Leader of
Lok Sabha, has already expressed government's readiness to
discuss any matter on the floor of the House.
The session, having 24 sittings spread over 33 days,
would also discuss a statutory resolution seeking approval of
President's Rule in Jharkhand. PTI SPG
MRD