Budget Session's second leg begins today, Opposition set to corner govt on LPG cost, misuse of agencies

The second leg of the Budget Session 2023 is all set to commence on Monday. The government has asserted that its priority is to pass the Finance Bill. While the Opposition planning to raise issues like the action of central agencies against the BJP's political rivals and allegations against the Adani group.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge asserted that they want to play a constructive role in making the government accountable and sought a discussion in the House on "every burning issue facing the nation".

Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar sought views of leaders of various political parties on ways to curb disruptions in the House at a meeting held on Sunday. Opposition members raised the issue of alleged misuse of central agencies against non-BJP governments and the move to appoint Dhankhar's personal staff on parliamentary committees.

The opposition parties will meet on Monday morning to evolve their strategy in both Houses of Parliament after protests by them on the Hindenburg-Adani issue overshadowed most of the first half of the Budget session.

READ | Akhilesh Yadav shares video of IPS officer soliciting Rs 20 lakh bribe, Meerut Police responds

Manickam Tagore, Congress Whip in Lok Sabha, told PTI that his party wants the Opposition to take a united stand. "We will continue to raise people's issues - price rise, LPG cost, Adani, misuse of agencies, farmers issues, governors' intervention. We will continue to work with all like-minded parties. Tomorrow's meeting is called for the purpose as we want the Opposition to be united."

Congress leader K Suresh maintained that his party would continue to demand answers from the government on the Adani-Hindenburg issue as it has been keeping a studied silence. The principal opposition party has been pressing for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe.

The opposition parties are also likely to vociferously raise the issue of recent raids by the CBI and the ED against their leaders, some of whom were questioned and even arrested in various cases. They have accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of misusing the central agencies to target leaders of the BJP's rival parties.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjunram Meghwal told PTI on Sunday that the top-most priority for the government is the passage of the Financial Bill.

He said discussions will be held on demands for grants of ministries including Railways, Panchayati Raj, Tourism, Culture and Health. Speaker Om Birla will later apply the guillotine, after which all the outstanding demands for grants, whether discussed or not, will be put to vote and passed.

"Then we will get the Finance Bill passed. After that we'll look into the demands of the Opposition... The first responsibility of the government is to get the Finance Bill passed. Then we will hold discussions on issues the Opposition's demands," he said.

The session, which began on January 31, is likely to conclude on April 6. Parliament is meeting after a month-long recess which allows various parliamentary panels to scrutinise allocations made in the Union Budget for different ministries.

On Monday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present Supplementary Demands for Grants - Second Batch for 2022-23. She will also table the budget for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the year 2023-24 in Lok Sabha. The UT is at present under central rule. The two items are listed in the order paper of Lok Sabha for Monday.

The opposition parties are also gearing up to corner the government on issues such as the China border row and unemployment.