'Bihar verdict no mandate to disrupt Parliament'

The Modi government on Monday asked Opposition parties not to interpret the Bihar election result as a mandate to disrupt Parliament.

The counsel by Parliamentary Affairs M Venkaiah Naidu came as a response to reports that the Opposition may become belligerent in its dealings with the government in Parliament where several key legislations are hanging fire.

The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, at a meeting chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, on Monday recommended to President Pranab Mukherjee to summon the winter session of Parliament from November 26 to December 23.

“I was disturbed by analyses in the media after yesterday’s (Sunday’s) Bihar verdict that opposition parties in Parliament will now be more emboldened to unite and stall the government’s Parliamentary agenda for the coming winter session. I sincerely hope that it is not the view of the concerned parties,” Naidu told reporters after the meeting of the CCPA.

“All concerned need to understand the Bihar verdict in right perspective… It should not be interpreted as a mandate to obstruct Parliament,” the minister said.

The BJP-led NDA was trounced in the Bihar Assembly elections by the Grand Alliance of JD (U)-RJD-Congress which won a two-third majority.

Apparently chastised by the defeat, Naidu and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told the media separately that the government would reach out to the opposition parties on key legislations such as the Goods and Services Tax Bill and the Real Estate Regulatory Authority Bill – both red flagged by the main opposition Congress. Naidu said he was aware that the opposition parties had some issues and the government would walk the “extra mile” to accommodate them.

“Opposition parties may have some concerns and the government is always willing to sit with them and address them. This has been our approach since assumption of office last year,” Naidu said.

He said the government was ready to discuss the concerns raised by the Congress on the GST Bill on the floor of Parliament. On the issue of ‘growing intolerance’, Naidu said the opposition should show some tolerance and allow debate in Parliament instead of protesting outside.