INTERVIEW | INDIA bloc won't let NDA bulldoze Budget session: Gogoi
Congress’ newly appointed Deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi spoke to The New Indian Express about the agenda of the opposition INDIA bloc ahead of the Budget session of Parliament.
What are the issues that the Opposition is planning to raise in the Budget session?
The Opposition will raise crucial issues such as Manipur, Agniveer, the disturbing rise in cross-border terrorism in the Jammu region, food inflation, spiralling unemployment, and others.
The Congress party wants to debate on matters related to Indian foreign policy in Parliament. We are concerned that under Prime Minister Modi India's influence in South Asia is diminishing and our neighbors are looking elsewhere for their countries’ growth and economic progress. In the past, debates on foreign policy were taboo inside Parliament for reasons that surprised me. Indian foreign policy is actively discussed in newspaper articles on television channels, and it is a subject of national interest and utmost importance. And people need to hear PM Modi's stand on China.
The first session of the new Lok Sabha saw tumultuous scenes. Will we see the pattern in this session as well?
To run Parliament smoothly, the BJP has to practice consensus, which PM Modi preached on the first day of the 18th Lok Sabha. However, they are doing just the opposite. First, they did not give the pro tem speaker post to Congress’ senior most MP. Then they interrupted LoP Rahul Gandhi's speech many times. Gandhi wanted our second MP from Manipur to speak, he was not allowed to put forward the case of Manipur on record. The NDA is the ruling party and they have a greater responsibility to run the Parliament smoothly. The INDIA bloc will ensure that they do not bulldoze Parliament this time. It means running a bulldozer over the aspirations and hopes of the youth, unemployed, women, scheduled castes, and minority sections.
The Budget session of the 17th Lok Sabha was one of the least productive sessions marred by disruptions…
It has been a pattern of the BJP to provoke conflict inside Parliament so that they pass the bills without debate. It is unfortunate that in the past we have seen how 146 MPs being suspended in one go, important bills being converted to money bills and thereby avoiding the scrutiny of the upper house, where standing committees do not get the opportunity to scrutinize the bills.
All the MPs of the INDIA bloc have a greater responsibility to the people of India and they have higher expectations of us. Therefore, we will not allow BJP's diversionary tactics to succeed in this budget session.
Though LoP Rahul Gandhi demanded a day to debate on NEET, the government did not concede. Will you stick to your demand of discussing anomalies in the examination system in this session?
Mr Gandhi made a very valid demand to dedicate one day in Parliament to focus on the malaise that exists in the higher education sector of India. We are deeply concerned with the way curriculums are being changed, examination papers are being leaked, political appointments are being made to the position of VCs in universities, and the diminishing standards of research in higher education.
All these issues need to be debated exhaustively but the Education minister neither made a statement inside Parliament nor a debate on this issue.
Will the Opposition insist on demand for the Deputy Speaker post?
We believe that parliamentary convention should be adhered to and the Indian Parliament run in a model manner for other democracies to emulate. As per convention, we want the post of Deputy Speaker to be given to the opposition. Unfortunately, the BJP decided to do away with the post in the 17th Lok Sabha. That was a petty decision. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge was in touch with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh regarding the appointment of the Deputy Speaker post. Earlier they said that after the election of the speaker, they would decide on the Deputy Speaker, but they have yet to communicate despite the Budget session only a few days away.
Has the INDIA bloc decided on a consensus candidate for the Deputy Speaker post?
No comments on the candidate.
Your expectations on the Union Budget...
I think this would be the same as the Budget in the last eight years. Certain business monopolies that are close to the Prime Minister would get further support from the government to expand their business cartels to raise the prices of their goods and make it even harder for the hardworking and honest middle-class taxpayer. They will have mere slogans to offer for the vast section of Indians who are poor and unemployed.