Manipur, Delhi ordinance in focus as I.N.D.I.A to take on NDA with renewed vigour at Monsoon Session

An Opposition with a renewed vigour and new name will battle the ruling NDA on a variety of issues, including Manipur violence and Delhi ordinance, during the Parliament’s Monsoon Session which is set to begin on Thursday.

Manipur is likely to be a flashpoint even as the government expressed its willingness to discuss on the situation there but the I.N.D.I.A parties put the ruling dispensation on notice, insisting on a statement by none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi and warning that in case the demand cannot be met, the ruling BJP has to be accused of disrupting Parliament.

Without elaborating whether Modi would speak on the issue, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi told the reporters that the Opposition have demanded a discussion at the customary all-party meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and that the government is ready for it.

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“We need not just a discussion but a statement by the Prime Minister or reply to the debate by him,” Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said. Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha floor leader Derek O’Brien said, “if the Prime Minister is not speaking on Manipur issue, then the BJP is disrupting the session and not I.N.D.I.A parties.”

The government is likely to face tough questions on its alleged ineffectiveness in handling the incident and “silence” of Modi, who has not spoken about the issue in public.

Opposition is also demanding a thorough discussion on a variety of issues with Manipur violence, government’s alleged ineffectiveness in handling the incident and “silence” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, topping the list

The session comes against the backdrop of an Opposition conclave that christened the 26-party grouping ‘I.N.D.I.A’ and NDA responding with a meeting of 38 parties to project its strength, as both sides get ready for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.

The session would also see a few MPs, including Praful Patel, changing sides to the NDA after a split in the NCP while the Sharad Pawar-led faction would still have a majority in Parliament.

The government has expressed its intent to bring 21 new bills along with ten other pending bills in this session, which ends on August 11.

One of the major bills that would come up before Parliament would be the Bill to replace an ordinance that has taken away Delhi government’s control over its bureaucrats. While the government would be able to pass the bill easily in Lok Sabha, it may have to sweat it out in Rajya Sabha where the BJP and its allies do not have enough numbers.

All would depend on YSR Congress and BJD, which is non-aligned with both the NDA and I.N.D.I.A and the Opposition camp would try to bring them on its side.

If YSR Congress and BJD join the Opposition camp to vote against the Bill, the government would face defeat. However, the Opposition is not very hopeful about both the parties going against the NDA, due to their previous actions in similar circumstances.

Another important bill would be the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023, which aimed at processing digital personal data in a “manner that recognises both the rights of individuals to protect their personal data and the need to process personal data for lawful purposes”. The Bill “employs plain and simple language to facilitate ease of understanding” while establishing a comprehensive legal framework governing digital personal data protection in India.

The government also plans to bring The Drugs, Medical Devices and Cosmetics Bill, 2023 to regulate the import, manufacture, distribution and sale of drugs, medical devices and cosmetics. It will also deal with clinical trials of new drugs and clinical investigation of investigational medical devices. The National Research Foundation Bill, 2023, which was cleared by the Cabinet recently is another prominent Bill in the list.

Keeping the Chhattisgarh election in mind, the government is also bringing a bill to include Mahra, Mahara community in the Scheduled Castes list of the state. A Bill seeking to revise the Scheduled Tribes List of Jammu and Kashmir may also be brought during the session.

Bills like The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2022, The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023, The Multi-State Cooperative Bill, 2022, The Meditation Bill, 2021 and The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, which were scrutinised by various Parliamentary panels, are also listed by the government for passage.