The opposition parties including the Congress, Trinamool Congress, NCP, DMK and others including the Left parties have to work on a common agenda to voice the grievances of the suffering millions and this include both economic and political issues. As regards economic issues, the major one is the high rise of prices, especially the prices of essential commodities which have crippled the living standards of not only poor and unorganized workers, but also the lower middle class .There is no policy to control the price rise at a time when the incomes of the people in general have dipped as a result of the lockdown in the era of pandemic.

But the core demand on which the opposition parties have to focus in this session is the guaranteed minimum income for the poor in both rural and urban areas and this is the only way to sustain the livelihood of the people who have been badly hit by the pandemic. This income transfer to the poor is of crucial importance for the economic revival at the moment since this will help in generating more consumption and consequent demand. All top Indian economists including two Nobel laureates Dr. Amartya Sen and Abhijit Banerjee have been recommending this minimum basic income scheme since the slow down started in the economy but the Narendra Modi government instead depended on credit based growth which has failed to have any positive impact.

Then the immediate issue on which the opposition has to give big focus in the coming session is the withdrawal of three farm laws against which the farmers organisations have been agitating since November 26 last year. This is an issue which has big political import for the opposition taking into account the coming state assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab which have been most affected by the agitation. The farmers organisations have shown their determination and grit and they have stuck to the dharna near the Delhi border for nearly eight months. The farmers organisations will be holding demonstrations before the Parliament during the monsoon session. They have also planned to launch the Modi Gaddi Chhodo movement on August 9 in the pattern of Quit India call given by Mahatma Gandhi in 1942. The opposition has to totally identify with the farmers demands and that should get full reflection in the discussions in Parliament during the session.

At the political level, the most disturbing phenomenon is the increasing authoritarianism of the Modi government and total disregard to the constitutional norms in respect of centre-state relations. The centre and its agency the NIA have been foisting sedition charges on the dissenters and this is being followed by the BJP led state governments also. The Supreme Court, at long last has decided to go into the constitutional validity of the archaic sedition law and the Chief Justice made some important observations this week indicating that this law of British period has to be reviewed. But the Haryana government, without caring for the observations of the Supreme Court, charged many agitating farmers under sedition law. Any dissenter can be charged under the sedition law, as per the present ruling regime. Similarly, the UAPA is being used at random and in most cases, the arrested people are kept in prisons without trial for long years.

The Centre is using its agencies to harass the non-BJP state governments like West Bengal, Kerala and Delhi disregarding the constitutional norms. The Delhi Government is just now facing the wrath of the Centre for its refusal to approve the list of lawyers sent by Delhi police. These recommended lawyers are the same people who are prosecutors and who flouted all principles in defending the Delhi police in 2020 February riot cases. Even the apex court and high court on so many times pointed out the lapses of the Delhi police regarding the investigation of the riot cases. The passing of the revised act on National Capital Region divesting the Chief Minister of due powers of administration, was the starting point of this central attack on federalism.

On its part, the Modi government has a comprehensive legislative agenda for the session, listing at least 17 Bills for discussion. Out of this, three seek to replace ordinances and could be a key bone of contention, with some opposition parties including the Congress expected to raise serious objections.

Among some of the key Bills that will be taken up for consideration and passage in this session are The Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2021, The Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and The Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2021, among others.

The opposition will certainly discuss the issue of gross mismanagement by the government in dealing with Covid-19, especially its second wave and as usual, the Government will justify its performance. But the opposition must press for submission of a White Paper on covid management by the government. Congress has brought out a white paper on its own and it is quite comprehensive and useful. The fact is that Prime Minister is the main policy maker in pandemic management and the PMO acts as the centre of direction. So for failure or success if any, the responsibility lies with PM and not with his health minister.

Overall, the opposition has to make full use of the session to act as the custodian of the interests of the pandemic hit people. The BJP is fully united in this session and the central leadership under Modi-Shah have mobilized the party MPs and others to launch big offensive against opposition to get positive results in the coming assembly elections. Parliament session will be a platform for that.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, considered as a highly successful strategist against BJP, will be in New Delhi by month end, during the session to talk to the opposition leaders on a joint strategy. She will be meeting the Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, as also other senior opposition leaders. There has to be a total understanding between Mamata, Rahul and other opposition leaders on framing a winnable strategy against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After all, ultimately in a parliamentary democracy, power through elections, is crucial The monsoon session has to be utilized by the entire non-BJP opposition to achieve that ultimate objective of removing the BJP government from power step by step and the beginning has to be from Uttar Pradesh in 2022 polls. (IPA Service)