Left promises winter of discontent for govt
The government has once again ruffled Left feathers by placing contentious economic Bills on its priority list and skipping its pet one -which is to provide one-third reservation for women in legislatures - for the Winter Session starting Wednesday.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: The government has once again ruffled Left feathers by placing contentious economic Bills on its priority list and skipping its pet one —which is to provide one-third reservation for women in legislatures — for the Winter Session starting Wednesday.
There has been no agreement still with the Left on the pension funds reform Bill and the banking regulation amendment Bill. The prime minister and his senior colleagues have held several rounds of discussions with Left leaders for getting them on board, but with little success so far.
The Left has rejected the government’s compromise formulae on the legislations and made it clear that it would vote against both money bills if they are taken up in Parliament.
While the Banking Regulation Bill didn’t figure at last week’s UPA-Left coordination committee meet, the Pension Funds Bill was on the table for around two hours. The Left has been insisting on providing guaranteed returns in the pension scheme.
But the government is of the view that it will go against the basic intention of shifting the scheme from statutory to a contributory one. Parliamentary affairs minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi told reporters on Tuesday that the Pension Funds Bill would be discussed with the Left leaders before it is taken up in Parliament.
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While the government is trying to push through the financial sector reforms, it has excluded the women’s reservation Bill from the list of business despite assuring the Left that it would be tabled in its present form. “The measure has not been listed among the Bills to be introduced as further consultations were needed at the home ministry and law ministry level as well as with other political parties,” Mr Dasmunsi said.
At a meeting of all-party floor leaders, the Left pointed out that the women’s Bill had not even been mentioned, following which the government said the prime minister is likely to convene an all-party meeting on the Bill before Parliament puts it up for discussion.
The decision to keep the women’s Bill aside clearly indicates the sharp division within the ruling UPA on the proposed legislation. Almost all “social justice” parties have voiced their reservations about the Bill. On the other side of the fence, the pro-women’s quota lobby is sure to come down heavily on the Congress for its inability to push through the legislation. As of now, the Bill has the support of the Left and the BJP.
At the last Congress-Left coordination panel meeting, Sonia Gandhi had directed the government to bring in the Bill in the Winter Session. At that juncture, external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee had spelt out practical difficulties involved in the process. He had talked about more discussions required for the purpose.
Apart from the legislative business, the government’s attention will be directed towards the MS Swaminathan report on farmers, Sachar Committee findings, collapse of the WTO talks in Doha, Delhi sealing issue and matters pertaining to national security.
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