Bumpy ride ahead for Modi govt in Parliament

Jubilant after passing the amendment on the motion of thanks in the President’s address, the opposition has decided to continue with their winning streak and further embarrass the government.

Subbarami Reddy of the Congress, Derek O’Brien of the Trinamool Congress, Sitaram Yechury of the Communist Party of India-Marxist and D Raja of the Communist Party of India are moving a resolution in the Rajya Sabha which ‘disapproves of the ordinance promulgated by the President of India on 12 January 2015, amending the mines and minerals act’.

The resolution has been listed for Monday when the House reconvenes and according to the rules, it has to be taken up first before any other business can be enacted.

Union Parliamentary Affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu has said that the House would take up the resolution first thing on Monday but he has asked the Congress and its friends to help the government pass the various bills which are to come up next week.

If the Rajya Sabha approves the resolution, one House would have disapproved the ordinance and the other House, the Lok Sabha would have passed it after the ordinance was brought in the form of a bill. The ordinance lapses on April 5, and the government needs both the houses to pass it before then, otherwise the ordinances would have to be brought again.

If the resolution is passed in the Rajya Sabha, the government would then have to take a call on how to move further in the matter. It would be a clear indication that the government is struggling to stay afloat in the Rajya Sabha and does not have the majority to pass the other bills also which it wants to pass at any cost.

The government would then also have to take a call on the joint session of Parliament, which is tricky and ticklish for the government and not easy to manage.

On its own, the Bharatiya Janata Party does not have a majority of its own. It is dependent on its allies, those supporting from inside the government and outside and in this context it is pertinent to note that the Biju Janata Dal which so far was supporting the government has now announced that they would oppose the government on all its bills.

The BJD says it will the play of an opposition and not an outside supporting party. BJD chief and Odisha Chief Minister Navin Patnaik has criticised the Modi government and the main reason behind this is the inadequate money given to the state by the finance commission.

The Land Bill which is being opposed by all sides is being brought in the Lok Sabha by the government where it will become clear how far it has moved in bringing in amendments and whether they satisfy the opposition.

For the moment, the government is being squeezed from all sides and the situation as far as its pet legislations are concerned is looking hopeless with the opposition having tasted blood and based on the fate of the resolution, they would move ahead and block the remainder of the bills along with disapproving of the ordinances passed by the government.