Budget Session Ends in 3 Days, Here's a Look At Issues That Can Raise a Storm

New Delhi: With only three days to go for the second leg of the budget session to end, it appears that Parliament is headed towards a completely unproductive run. Onslaught on the Modi government refuses to end as opposition is continuing to rake up issues like the SC/ST verdict by the Supreme Court, CBSE paper leaks and communal unrest in West Bengal and Bihar.

However, on Monday, the Dalit protests created a ruckus in the Lok Sabha where the opposition parties expressed displeasure over the SC-ST verdict by the Supreme Court. Parliament after having been adjourned again, is set to meet on April 3, with just two days more for the session to wrap up.

So, what all is expected to happen till the house stops from functioning? The first issue that would continue to rake up would be the paper leaks that has affected lakhs of students. With exams now expected in April end and July, most of the opposition parties including Samajwadi Party (SP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), is expected join protests against the government.

Second is the agitation planned by YSR Congress President, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, for the Special Category Status. On Saturday, Reddy had stated that his party MPs would not only quit on the last day of the Parliament Session, but also sit on an indefinite hunger strike at Andhra Bhavan in Delhi.

Reddy has also now written to President Ram Nath Kovind so as to point out how the recent verdict of the SC in the SC-ST case would “dilute the spirit of the act,” and has requested the President to “refer the matter to SC for review.”

Next on the cards is the possibility of the no confidence motion being taken up again. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan did take up the no confidence motion on Monday. A total of four no-confidence motions were moved till now but they could not be taken up due to “house not being in order.”

However, on Monday, even as Mahajan attempted to take it up for discussion, it could not materialize. However, as Congress, TDP, YSR Congress and CPI (M) have filed notices for a no-confidence motion against the NDA government and regional parties like the TRS, DMK, TMC and others have extended their support to the motions, it is possible that a discussion on this takes place before April 5 though anything concrete on the front looks bleak credit to the majority of BJP in the lower house.

The other event that is slated to impact Parliament session would be the Delhi visit of Chandrabhabu Naidu.

After West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Naidu’s visit is being touted as an outreach to other opposition parties. Naidu’s visit is slated to act as reaching out to the opposition parties on the Centre’s decision of denying special category status to Andhra Pradesh.

This will also open options of Naidu to explore options within opposition and make allies ahead of 2019 elections.