All-party meet: India opposition demands discussion on 13 issues
Government wants to pass 32 Bills in new session of Parliament
New Delhi: In the all-party meeting called by the government on Sunday, the opposition demanded discussion on 13 prominent issues including the attacks on Kashmiri Pandits and Chinese incursion.
Leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said, “The issue of Chinese incursion, foreign policy, changes in Forest Conservation Act and attack on Kashmiri Pandits and Congress leaders need to be discussed in the House.”
The opposition took up 13 issues in the meeting while the government wants to pass 32 Bills, Kharge said.
The government, on the other hand said they are open to discussion. Pralhad Joshi, Minister of Parliamentary affairs, said that an all-party meeting has been convened on Tuesday to discuss the issue of Sri Lanka where Minister of External Affairs Minister will be present.
The AAP raised the issue of Arvind Kejriwal’s Singapore visit, saying that the LG was not clearing the file, sources said.
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said the Prime Minister was not present in the meeting. “Today in the all-party meeting many political parties, including those supporting NDA, pointed out the contradiction in the Modi Sarkar. On one hand it is claiming credit for its Presidential candidate, on the other hand it is killing off the Forest Rights Act, 2006.”
As many as 24 new Bills will be introduced in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, including the Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2022. “The Bill seeks to replace the Press and Registration of Books (PRB) Act, 1867 by decriminalisation of the existing Act, keeping the procedures of the extant Act simple from the view point of medium/small publishers and uphold the values of Press Freedom”.
The Bill may see stiff opposition as it is said that it is being brought to control the small publishers and digital media. The Opposition has already alleged that the government is trying to stifle the voice of dissent in the country.
Another important Bill is the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which seeks to provide a regulatory framework for Carbon Trading in India, to encourage penetration of renewables in energy mix, and effective implementation and enforcement of the Energy Conservation Act.
Four other Bills have been referred to the standing committee: Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021; Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill, 2019; Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (Amendment) Bill, 2019; and National Anti-Doping Bill, 2021.
