Modi appeals for smooth session of Parliament

The government is set to face tough times during the budget session of Parliament starting on Monday even as it promised to walk the ‘extra mile’ to accommodate opposition's concerns and Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed for cooperation for the benefit of common man.

Modi underlined at a meeting of all parties that smooth functioning of Parliament should be ensured as the budget session is very crucial and people look at it with lots of hopes and aspirations.

The leaders of all political parties should collectively ensure proper utilisation of time in both Houses of Parliament ‘so that we can work towards meeting the hopes and aspirations of people’, he said about the session during which his government will present its first full-fledged budget.

"It is the collective responsibility of leaders of all parties to ensure that this session runs smoothly so that the House can fulfill aspiratations of people...Hope we can collectively work for the benefit of common man," Modi said.

Referring to the various issues that opposition is waiting to raise, he told the leaders attending the meeting, "I can assure you that all the issues you have referred to will be discussed adequately and appropriately in order of their priority and importance."

Earlier, the tone for the concilliatory approach was set when Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, in an unusual gesture, drove to Congress President Sonia Gandhi's residence to meet her to seek cooperation of the largest opposition party in carrying out the legislative business.

"The government is willing to walk the extra mile to accommodate the opposition. My only appeal is that House should be allowed to function smoothly," Naidu said later.

However, the opposition parties appeared to be unimpressed and made clear their mood of taking on the government, particularly on the move to amend the Land Acquisition Act.

Naidu admitted that some opposition parties expressed reservations against the land ordinance move even as there was "broad consensus" on five other Ordinances to be converted into Acts.

While describing his meeting Gandhi as a ‘cordial’ one, Naidu said she expressed concerns over land ordinance.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad also said that the Congress will not support those Ordinances and bills, which ‘do not help people’.

Janata Dal-United president Sharad Yadav said it will be a ‘fight to the finish’ as he lashed out at the government, saying it had made the land law worse than what existed during the British time.

Indian national Lok Dal leader Dushyant Chautala demanded that the proposed bill to convert the land Ordinance into a new Act should be referred to the Standing Committee of Parliament for a review of the changes brought in the old law by the government.

Naidu acknowledged that land acquisition is an ‘emotive issue’ and needs to be addressed ‘sincerely without undue politicisation’.

The Parliamentary Affairs Minister said the government is always willing to sit with opposition to resolve differences on any issue. "A spirit of mutual cooperation is required to ensure productive budget session," he said.

"I don't think there is any issue that cannot be resolved with an open mind," he said.

On the land issue, he said state governments, cutting across political spectrum, have expressed difficulties in acquiring land under the provisions of the Act of 2013.

Based on such feedback, the government only wants to facilitate timely acquisition of land and that too for the purposes of infrastructure, affordable housing etc," Naidu said while justifying the Ordinance brought on the issue to amend the Act passed during the United Progressive Alliance rule.

"All of you will appreciate that there has been no change in the remuneration to be paid to farmers or the rehabilitation measures to be undertaken for the displaced people," he said.

He said opposition parties have the ‘legitimate right’ to raise their concerns in the matter and the government has the responsibility of addressing their concerns.

"Parliament is the right forum to address such differences between the opposition and the government and to find a way forward... Let us understand each other so that the broader

objective of infrastructure and economic development of the country is ensured while protecting the interests of the farmers," said Naidu, who also holds the portfolio of urban development.

Significantly, Naidu, unlike earlier, evaded direct reply to questions about the possibility of convening a joint session to pass the bills in face of the non-cooperation of the Opposition.

"There is a joint sitting on Monday," he said evasively, referring to President Pranab Mukherjee's address to Parliament on the first day of the budget session.

The government's attempt to reach out to opposition parties came at a time when protests on land ordinance issue are growing.

While Anna Hazare is starting a dharna at Jantar Mantar on Monday, the Congress under Rahul Gandhi's leadership will do so on February 25.

 group of farmer leaders had a meeting with senior ministers Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Chaudhary Birender Singh on Saturday night to express their reservations against the land ordinance.

Speaking at Singh's residence, the farmers' representatives said the government appears in a mood to have a re-think on the land ordinance and could be amenable to changes.

Naidu said the government has brought about the land acquisition ordinance after a detailed interaction with states. He said a highlight of the all-party meet was that most of the leaders favoured a smooth functioning of Parliament. He said the opposition ‘should have its say while the government should have its way as it has got the mandate of the people’.

The meeting saw the leaders seeking debate on a variety of issues including the communal statements by some members of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Sangh Parivar, attack on churches, swine flu situation, agrarian crisis, Indo-Pak border situation,  minimum support price for farm produce.

Some also sought discussion on the 'Vyapam' scam in Madhya Pradesh, saffronisation of education and agrarian crisis. A number of members raised concerns over the corporate espoinage case with Sharad Yadav seeking a thorough probe to expose the big fish.

The murder of Comrade Govind Pansare in Maharashtra was raised by the Communist Party of India’s D Raja. Later, Shiv Sena leader of the Rajya Sabha Sanjay Raut said all political parties are concerned over it.