New Delhi, 20 July (H.S.):

The Monsoon Session of Parliament begins on Monday amid expectations of heated debates and disruptions, with the Opposition gearing up to raise several contentious issues against the government.

During the all-party meeting convened by the government on Sunday ahead of the session, Opposition parties demanded discussions on issues including alleged theft of donations at the Shri Ram Temple, ethanol-related concerns and the NEET paper leak controversy. They also raised questions regarding delimitation and the Women’s Reservation Bill.

The government, however, did not make any commitment on these issues during the meeting. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address the media at the Hans Dwar entrance of the Parliament House at around 10:15 am before the beginning of the session.

The Monsoon Session will continue until August 13 and will consist of 19 sittings. The all-party meeting, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, witnessed a brief disruption after Opposition parties protested against the invitation extended to a rebel faction of the Trinamool Congress.

Parties including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Aam Aadmi Party, National Conference and Shiv Sena (UBT) briefly boycotted the meeting. They later returned after the government clarified its position.

The Opposition questioned why the rebel group was invited when it had not yet received formal recognition in Parliament. The government explained that 20 Lok Sabha members had formed a separate group and had submitted an application seeking recognition before the Lok Sabha Speaker. Although the Speaker has not taken a final decision on the matter, the government said the group could not be ignored considering its strength.

The nearly three-hour-long all-party meeting was attended by leaders from around 40 political parties. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the discussions were constructive and that all parties presented their views. He emphasised that ensuring smooth functioning of Parliament was the collective responsibility of both the government and the Opposition.

The government has announced that it plans to introduce eight bills during the Monsoon Session. These include the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill and the proposed Bill related to the establishment of the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan.

The government’s plans regarding the introduction of the Women’s Reservation Bill and delimitation-related legislation during the session remain unclear. However, sources indicated that if the required two-thirds majority is achieved, the government may attempt to push these key legislations through Parliament.

With several political and policy issues expected to dominate proceedings, the Monsoon Session is likely to witness intense debates between the ruling party and Opposition benches.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar