The session is expected to witness the united opposition try to corner the NDA government on several fronts, including the NEET paper leak case and railway safety. Additionally, the ruling dispensation faces demands from its allies for special category status for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.
On Sunday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju chaired a meeting with floor leaders of political parties to discuss their agendas. He expressed the government's willingness to discuss all issues within the rules and called for cooperation to ensure the smooth running of Parliament, highlighting it as a collective responsibility. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also emphasised the need to maintain the sanctity of Parliament and urged against disruptions.
The opposition, laying out their agenda at an all-party meeting, demanded discussions on contentious issues, including the Uttar Pradesh government's order to eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route, exam paper leaks, and the recent spate of terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.
Representatives from JD(U), BJD, and YSR Congress Party, along with BJP ally LJP (Ram Vilas), demanded special category status for Bihar, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh. Congress leader K Suresh, speaking to reporters, stated that the Congress, along with other INDIA bloc members, sought the Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker's position for the opposition, as per convention. They also raised issues like the situation in Manipur, train accidents, unemployment, and price rise.
The Congress also expressed concerns over alleged irregularities in exams conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, following the recent resignation of its chairperson for reportedly personal reasons. DMK's Tiruchi Siva criticised the government's handling of the NEET medical entrance examination, calling for a discussion on the issue.
Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav accused the ruling BJP of pursuing communally divisive politics through the Uttar Pradesh government's order asking eateries to display their owners' names on the Kanwar Yatra route. Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi and AAP's Sanjay Singh echoed these criticisms.
Sanjay Singh further raised the issue of the misuse of central probe agencies, accusing the Modi government of targeting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in the excise policy case. Singh claimed the Centre has allocated only Rs 350 crore to Delhi for the past nine years and predicted the same allocation in the upcoming budget.
During the session, the government plans to present six bills, including one to replace the 90-year-old Aircraft Act. Other bills include the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, the Boilers Bill, the Coffee (Promotion and Development) Bill, and the Rubber (Promotion and Development) Bill.
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