Photographs: Courtesy Press Information Bureau
The Budget session of Parliament beginning on Thursday looks set to be stormy with Opposition vowing to strongly raise issues like corruption and inflation even though government expressed readiness to discuss all issues and order any kind of probe into the chopper scam.
However, a possible confrontation between government and BJP over Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde's "Hindu terror" remark was averted on the eve of the session as he expressed regret and the main opposition welcomed it.
Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj had demanded that Shinde withdraw his comments and tender an apology, failing which the party would boycott him.
The three-month long session will begin with the customary address by President Pranab Mukherjee to the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
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Chopper deal, Kurien row... Govt dreads Opposition attack
Photographs: Courtesy Press Information Bureau
The session has a heavy legislative agenda, including getting Parliament nod to three ordinances, introduction of as many as 16 bills, consideration and passage of 35 bills.
The Railway Budget will be presented on February 26 with the Economic Survey coming the next day.
Finance Minister P Chidambaram will present the General Budget on February 28.
The National Democratic Alliance, which held a strategy session in New Delhi on Wednesday evening, said it wanted Parliament to function smoothly and would make all efforts in this regard.
However, it said there were lot of "challenges" before the nation which needed to be raised in Parliament with "full strength".
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Chopper deal, Kurien row... Govt dreads Opposition attack
Photographs: Courtesy BJP website
NDA convenor Sharad Yadav listed these issues as the helicopter scam, other corruption cases, inflation, farmers plight due to drought in Maharashtra and hailstorm in Madhya Pradesh and ordinance on stronger anti-rape laws.
The main opposition's aggressive posturing came even after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other ministers said the government was ready for discussion on any issue and hoped all parties will join hands to find productive, constructive solutions to the formidable challenges facing the nation.
On the helicopter scam which the NDA would be raising on Friday, the government said it is ready for any kind of probe.
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Chopper deal, Kurien row... Govt dreads Opposition attack
Photographs: Courtesy Press Information Bureau
With an aim of ensuring a smooth sail of the Budget session, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar held a meeting with leaders of all political parties on Wednesday.
After the meeting, the Prime Minister said he hoped that all political parties will join hands to find productive, constructive solutions to the formidable challenges facing the nation.
"Parliament is the forum for discussions or dialogue and all parties have an obligation to ensure that parliament runs smoothly. I am hopeful and confident that this session is going to be a fruitful session," he told reporters.
Noting that all parties have an obligation to ensure that Parliament runs smoothly, Singh said, "I am hopeful and confident that this is going to be a fruitful session."
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Chopper deal, Kurien row... Govt dreads Opposition attack
Photographs: Courtesy Press Information Bureau
Hours later, NDA convenor Sharad Yadav said, "There are several challenges facing the country. The helicopter scam will certainly be raised. Some other scams were left halfway. We will try to raise them too."
On the controversial chopper deal, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said the government is willing for any type of inquiry for which there was a political consensus.
"I have told all political parties that the government is willing to have any type of inquiry for which there is political consensus on the helicopter issue because this is not just an issue concerning corruption. This is an investigation carried out overseas which is a slur on India," Nath said.
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