The Centre has proposed to have Prime Minister Narendra Modi address MPs on Covid in the Parliament annexe instead of the floor of the House, upsetting the Opposition even before the monsoon session begins on Monday.
A separate building, the annexe is part of the extended Parliament complex and has been a venue for public events and other meetings. But legislative procedures are never conducted there.
Opposition MPs called the proposal “highly irregular” and an attempt to bypass the legislature. The Prime Minister’s plan to address the MPs was announced by parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi during an all-party meeting on Sunday.
“MPs do not want fancy PowerPoint presentations on #COVID19 from the PM or this Government in some conference room. #Parliament is in session. Come to the FLOOR OF THE HOUSE,” tweeted Trinamul Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien.
Most of the Opposition parties are understood to have opposed the government’s move at the meeting itself, insisting they do not want to be addressed outside Parliament when the session is on.
Modi, who attended the all-party meeting, did not comment on the issue in his tweet about the interaction. “Took part in the All-Party meeting before the start of Parliament’s Monsoon Session. We look forward to a productive session where all issues can be debated as well as discussed in a constructive manner,” Modi tweeted.
Again, O’Brien was quick to respond: “Prime Minister, Sir. True. You did TAKE PART. The #Parliament meeting lasted for 2 hours and 40 minutes. We had the pleasure of your company for 9 minutes. You listened for 3 minutes. Allowed the photographers/ video cams in for 2 minutes. And spoke to us for 4 minutes.”
According to an Opposition leader, the meeting was, as always, an exercise by the government to project an appearance of consultation while being only interested in having its way.
With the farmers protesting the three farm laws planning to pile pressure on the Opposition to take up their issue constructively in Parliament, the Opposition is expected to bring it up on Monday itself along with the price rise and the Covid mismanagement.
Centre-state relations, too, are an issue that may generate considerable heat during the session with several Opposition states upset at the way the Union government has been riding roughshod over them. The DMK is expected to take the lead in the matter.
Further weakened after the last round of Assembly elections, the Congress may find it more difficult than before to take the lead in Opposition coordination. More so because it will be pitted against several of the Opposition parties in the next round of state elections.
