Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s outreach likely to prevent winter session from washout

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s outreach to the opposition may have averted the threat of the winter session being washed out, a possibility that gained ground in view of protests over “intolerance” and Bihar election results.
The talks between the PM and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former premier Manmohan Singh marked a rare development given that top-level contacts between the two camps have been limited in the last one-and-a-half years.
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While the subject of discussion was the vexed GST bill, its impact will go beyond one legislation. It is felt the opposition may no longer be bitter over the government avoiding consultations with them.
Importantly, the Centre has also agreed to a discussion on “intolerance” as demanded by the opposition.
Observers said the immediate implication of the Centre’s accommodating initiatives may be that the two Houses of Parliament may resume normal business without disruptions, unlike the monsoon session when Vyapam-Lalitgate protests blocked all proceedings in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha too was badly affected despite government’s overwhelming numbers. This, irrespective of whether a common ground is found on the GST or not.
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The government has lined up key legislations for passage in the upper House, like amendment to Prevention of SC/ST Atrocities Act, the juvenile justice bill, prevention of corruption amendment bill and the real estate bill.
Else, the opposition has been keen to put the government on the mat, buoyed as it is by the election results in Bihar where the ruling BJP suffered a humiliating defeat despite the campaign being led by Modi.
The successful conduct of proceedings will mark a big relief for the Centre which has been worried about the opposition’s aggression post-Bihar, the worst being the fear of another Parliament washout. Failure to ensure a smooth session will rob the government of its sheen and raise fears of policy paralysis.