New Delhi, July 21 (UNI) The Budget Session of Parliament is likely to be a stormy one as the Opposition parties raised the issues of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) paper leak, alleged misuse of central agencies like Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and filling up of the Deputy Speaker’s post in the all-party meeting here on Sunday.
On the eve of the Session, the Opposition sent out signals of its preparation to corner the National Democratic Alliance government on a range of issues.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, in a post on X, said the Janata Dal (United) leader demanded a special category status for Bihar.
“The Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) leader demanded special category status for Andhra Pradesh. Strangely, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader kept quiet on the matter,” he said.
In the all-party meeting, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, deputy leader of the party in Lok Sabha, raised the issues of NEET, alleged misuse of central agencies like ED, CBI and the Deputy Speaker’s post.
Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Ram Gopal Yadav raised the issue of nameplates on food shops on the Kanwar route in Uttar Pradesh.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Praful Patel said, “All parties have given their suggestions on the Budget Session. Many parties raised issues of their respective states. What I have suggested is that the session should run smoothly without any interruptions, which has become a tradition now to interrupt and create chaos.”
“On behalf of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), we have placed several demands in the all-party meeting… Odisha has been deprived of the special category status for more than two decades,” said BJD MP Dr Sasmit Patra after the meeting.
The meeting was chaired by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju organised the meeting with floor leaders from various political parties to discuss the issues they plan to address during the Session.
“It’s the responsibility of both the government and the Opposition to run Parliament smoothly,” said Rijiju.
Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, Jairam Ramesh and K. Suresh of the Congress, Asaduddin Owaisi of All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Abhay Kushwaha, Janata Dal (United)‘s Sanjay Jha and Aam Aadmi Party’s Sanjay Singh and other leaders of Opposition parties were present at the meeting.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget on July 23. On Monday, Sitharaman will also table the Economic Survey in Parliament.
The Session will have 19 sittings till August 12 and the government is expected to present six Bills.
