Winter session of Parliament likely to be stormy

The three-week-long winter session of Parliament is expected to be a stormy owing to the debates on issues like Nandigram violence, Indo-US civil nuke deal and the problems faced by farmers.

New Delhi, Nov 15 : The three-week-long winter session of Parliament is expected to be a 'stormy' owing to the debates on issues like Nandigram violence, Indo-US civil nuke deal and the problems faced by farmers.

The alleged wheat imports scam is also expected to generate a lot of heat in both the Houses of the Parliament.

The nuclear deal which paralysed proceedings during the monsoon session may not generate that much heat and a move is afoot for a discussion on the issue at the beginning of the session.

The Left Front had agreed to debate on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's August 13 speech on the 123-agreement. The BJP also had expressed their readiness to take part in the debate in spite of it being not held under clauses that would have entailed voting.

However with the Nandigram violence flaring up in recent days and the forceful 'recapture' of the area by CPI (M) cadres that has already got a support from West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, the opposition BJP is likely to take the issue very strongly on the floor of the House. The Left parties, especially the CPI (M), which provides outside support to the UPA Government, may find itself, cornered on the Nandigram violence issue.

The government is expected to be pilloried by the opposition over problems faced by farmers including that of minimum support prices for paddy and wheat imports as well as rising prices, which was burdening the common man.

Besides these issues, Narendra Modi's role in the post-Godhra riots in view of the forthcoming Gujarat Assembly polls are also likely to be discussed.

ll ministers should attend winter session: Speaker

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Wednesday said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh could undertake a foreign visit during the Parliament session, but all senior ministers should be present.

Dr. Singh will visit Singapore on November 20 for the ASEAN summit following which he will go to Uganda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) meet.

Besides, 36 items and legislations have been identified for the coming session.

The Bills that are scheduled to be introduced are the Indian Council of World Affairs (Amendment) Bill, 2007, the NEPA Limited (Disinvestment of Ownership) Bill, 2007, the Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill, 2007 (To replace an Ordinance), the Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2007, the National Highways Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2007, the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) (Union Territories) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2007, the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Bill, 2007 (To replace an Ordinance), the Rehabilitation and Settlement Bill, 2007, the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill, 2007, the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2007, the Authority for Advanced Rulings on Central Taxes (Amendment) Bill, 2007, the Central Universities Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2007, the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2007 and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Second Amendment Bill, 2007.

Another sixteen Bills will be considered for passing during this session that include the Indian Boilers (Amendment) Bill, 1994, the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2007, the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2005, the Payment and Settlement Systems Bill, 2006, the Tyre Corporation of Indian Ltd. (Disinvestment of Ownership) Bill, 2007, the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2007, the Labour Laws (Exemption from Furnishing Returns and Maintaining Registers by Certain Establishments) Amendment and Miscellaneous Provision Bill, 2005, the Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2005, the National Jute Board Bill, 2006, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2007, the Sashastra Seema Bal Bill, 2007, the Armed Forces Tribunal Bill, 2005, the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University Bill, 2007, the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes University Bill, 2007, the Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2007 and the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Bill, 2007

One Bill pertaining to the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) (Union Territories) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2003 will be considered for withdrawal.

Three financial items will be taken up in the session that include, discussion and Voting on Supplementary Demands for Grants (General) for 2007-08 and related Appropriation Bill, Demands for Excess Grants (General) for 2005-06 and related Appropriation Bill, and Supplementary Demands for Grants (Railway) for 2007-08 and related Appropriation Bill.

Two non-legislative items will be considered for adoption that include the recommendations of Railway Convention Committee (2004) made in their Third Report and the recommendations of Railway Convention Committee (2004) made in their Sixth Report.

Due to the Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, it will be a short session of 17 sittings, covering 23 days.

The winter session will conclude of December 7.

ANI