Oppn raises Kanwar Yatra issue, demands LS Deputy Speaker post at all-party meet

The Congress on Sunday (July 21) sought the Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker’s position for the Opposition in the all-party meeting convened by the government ahead of Parliament session, and raised the issue of paper leaks, including NEET.

Party leader Gaurav Gogoi said the Opposition should be allowed to raise issues in Parliament after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju sought cooperation from every party for the smooth running of the two Houses, sources in the know told news agency PTI.

Kanwar Yatra issue

Samajwadi Party MP Ramgopal Yadav reportedly raised the issue of the Uttar Pradesh government’s controversial directive to eateries on the Kanwariya route to display the owners’ names.

The YSR Congress spoke about the TDP government’s alleged targeting of its leaders in Andhra Pradesh and sought the Centre’s intervention.

The meeting is being chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and was convened by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rijiju.

TDP ‘quiet’ on special status

Separately, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that in the all-party meeting, the JD(U) and the YSRCP demanded special-category status for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, respectively, but “strangely” the TDP kept quiet on the matter.

In a post on X, Ramesh, who was present at the meeting, said, “In today’s all-party meeting of floor leaders chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the JD(U) leader demanded special category status of Bihar. The YSRCP leader demanded special category status for Andhra Pradesh. Strangely, the TDP leader kept quiet on the matter.”

Ramesh’s post on the social media came when the meeting was still underway.

Bihar’s demand

JD(U), a key ally in the ruling NDA, recently passed a resolution demanding special-category status or package for Bihar.

Though leaders from Andhra Pradesh had been demanding special-category status for the state, the demand has again gained momentum post Lok Sabha polls.

BJP president JP Nadda, Congress leader Gogoi, and Union minister and LJP (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan were among the leaders who attended the meet.

Government’s view

Defence Minister Singh and Rijiju put forth the government’s view at the customary meet.

Besides, Congress’s Ramesh and K Suresh, as also Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM, RJD’s Abhay Kushwaha, JD(U)’s Sanjay Jha, AAP’s Sanjay Singh, SP leader Ramgopal Yadav, and NCP’s Praful Patel were present at the customary meet.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget on Tuesday during the session beginning Monday.

What to expect

A united Opposition is set to corner the NDA government on issues ranging from the NEET paper leak case to railway safety.

The session begins on Monday and will have 19 sittings till August 12 when the government is expected to present six Bills, including the one to replace the 90-year-old Aircraft Act, and also get Parliament’s nod for the Budget of Jammu and Kashmir, which is under central rule.

Sitharaman will also table the Economic Survey in Parliament on Monday.

(With agency inputs)