Post-Budget session likely to be stormy

New Delhi, May 7 (UNI) The ten-day post-recess Budget session of Parliament beginning on May 10, will be dominated by the controversy over the ''office of profit'' issue.

Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh's proposal for reservation for OBCs in the central government educational institutes, demolition drive in Delhi, steep rise in the prices of essential commodities and import of wheat are the other issues which would be thoroughly debated during the proceedings of the two houses of Parliament.

The pre-recess session was adjourned sine die abruptly on March 22 amid vociferous protests from the Opposition which charged the Congress-led UPA government with trying to bring in an ordinance to save Congress president Sonia Gandhi from disqualification from the Lok Sabha for holding an office of profit as Chairperson of the National Advisory Council.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, however, had denied any such move. Ms Gandhi subsequently resigned as Chairperson of the NAC.

Earlier, the Election Commission had disqualified cine-star Jaya Bachchan from the Rajya Sabha for holding an office of profit as Chairperson of the UP Film Development Council.

Since more than 45 MPs from different political parties were said to be holding the offices of profit, the Government is understood to have plans to bring in legislation to redefine the offices of profit. Making its intention clear, the government has sought the opinion of various political parties on the nature of legislation.

The matter seemed to be not gaining much support from the main Opposition which, in response to a letter from Defence Minister and Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee, had, in fact, asked the Government to clear its stand on the matter first.

In response, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh, on behalf of the BJP, had said, ''You have specifically sought my views whether amendments to the Prevention of Disqualification Act would suffice or a new comprehensive legislation is required? And should that legislation be prospective or retrospective in nature?'' ''I am sure you will appreciate that on the basis of what you have shared with me, it would be difficult to suggest any specific inputs. For that, primary requirement is for the Government to first share with us its thinking on the subject...." BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad said that his party believed that MPs and other legislators ought not to ''suffer from any conflict of interest.'' By and large, however, most of the parties want that the office of profit be redefined but without diluting the spirit behind the 1959 Act.

The issue of reservation in professional and technical colleges for higher education mooted by Mr Arjun Singh has already divided the students fraternity following which Mr Singh clarified that it was ''merely a proposal''. The matter can be given a concrete shape only after discussion in Parliament.

On the issue, CPI(M) leader Mohammad Salim emphasised the need to take steps which ''unite the society and not break it''.

He also said the Left would pressurise the government to implement the CMP in its letter and spirit on all fronts--domestic, foreign and economic.

The Left Parties also criticised the UPA, saying "it is unfortunate that the Congress-led coalition is taking arbitrary and unilateral policy decisions and not taking the viewpoint of the supporting parties." The unhindered demolition in the national capital at the directions of Delhi High Court has become a cause of worry for all parties even as Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy has assured that the Government would bring in legislation to amend Delhi Master Plan 2021 to provide relief to thousands of people who have minor violations in the houses and for small shop-owners in the residential areas.

Delhi MPs and legislators, cutting across party lines, sat on a dharna to demand regularisation of minor violations and restrain the demolition drive.

Even though the session is short, it is going to be important keeping in view the pending business.

Meanwhile, both houses are expected to adjourn immediately after convening on the opening day to mourn the untimely death of BJP leader and former Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan.

UNI