Waqf Bill govt's top priority

The Union budget and several legislations, including Waqf Amendment Bill, are government's top priority for the budget session starting Friday. The Opposition is looking to take on the government over the stampede at Mahakumbh.

The session will start with the President's address on Friday. FM Nirmala Sitharaman will then table the Economic Survey in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The Union budget will be presented on February 1.

The first part of the session will end on February 13 after a debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address and a general discussion on the budget. After a recess, the second part will begin on March 10 and end on April 4, during which bills will be taken up.


On Thursday, the government held an all-party meeting that was chaired by Union minister Rajnath Singh. Singh noted that the UP government was probing the Mahakumbh tragedy when Opposition MPs raised the issue, sources said.

The Opposition parties sought a discussion on the tragedy and the UP government's alleged focus on VIPs rather than pilgrims. Union minister Kiren Rijiju asserted business advisory committee will decide on the agenda of the session.

Congress' Pramod Tiwari said that INDIA bloc will raise all issues together. He slammed "politicisation of Kumbh", saying VIP movement was creating difficulties for the common man. SP MP Ram Gopal Yadav also slammed BJP for patronising VIPs at the Kumbh and ignoring common pilgrims. "Rising unemployment and farmers' plight" will also be raised, several Opposition MPs said.

Sources said BJP ally JDU called for an extension in the tenure of the JPC on simultaneous polls, which was asked to submit its report by the first day of the last week of the budget session. MP Sanjay Jha also sought discussion on India's position in AI.

Another BJP ally, LJP (Ram Vilas), demanded a special industrial package for Bihar. MP Arun Bharti also raised the 'piling up' of vacancies in reserved category jobs for the reason of 'not fit for selection'. The government should bring a law to fill up the vacancies, he said.