BJP in no mood to relent on JNU issue, to adopt aggressive stand in Parliament

Delhi: The Budget session of Parliament is set to start on a stormy note on Tuesday with issues like the JNU row, Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide and Pathankot terror strike set to dominate the proceedings.

However, the BJP has planned to be on the offensive in Parliament on the JNU controversy which has dominated the headlines in recent times, as per Mail Today.

The report quoted party sources as saying that the saffron party has sensed public support on the Afzal Guru matter and thus is keen to have an aggressive debate.

Further, the report quoted highly placed sources in the BJP as saying that the aggressive approach on the issue will be adopted both "within and without the Parliament".

Not only JNU but discussions on the testimony of terrorist David Coleman Headley, especially relating to Ishrat Jahan, may also be taken up and Prime Minister Narendra Modi may also intervene in the debate. 

However, when questioned on this, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told Mail Today - "Our primary concern in the coming Parliament session will be to get legislations passed, but we have also conveyed to the Opposition that we are ready for a debate on other issues if they want. The PM may intervene in the debate if needed and if he thinks so."

Meanwhile, after PM Modi's meeting with leaders of Opposition parties on February 16, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu will hold another all-party meeting tomorrow to reach out to political rivals for smooth functioning of Parliament.

The same day, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan will also hold consultations with leaders of all parties in the House.

A meeting of the Congress Working Committee has been convened by party chief Sonia Gandhi on the eve of the session. The deliberations at the meeting is expected to set the tone for the Budget session.

At the Monday meeting, Congress will finalize its floor strategy for the session.

(With Agency inputs)