All-party meet: Oppn parties push for discussion on Maha Kumbh stampede

Mr Rijiju described the meeting chaired by defence minister Rajnath Singh as “constructive” and sought cooperation from all opposition parties, adding that the customary discussions on the President's address to Parliament and the Union Budget were the main priorities in the Budget Session.

BJP ally Janata Dal (United) has sought an extension in the tenure of the Joint Parliamentary Committee scrutinising the bills proposing simultaneous elections, while its another partner, LJP (Ram Vilas), has demanded a "special industrial package" for Bihar.

At the all-party meeting, sources said, JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha called for an extension in the tenure of the JPC, which was asked to submit its report by the first day of the last week of the Budget Session. The party said it sought the extension as the committee has met only once and that such an important piece of legislation will require wide consultation.

Gaurav Gogoi and Jairam Ramesh of the Congress, T.R. Baalu of the DMK, Sudip Bandhyopadhyay and Derek O’Brien of the TMC were amongst those who attended the meeting. Mr Rijiju said: " We have appealed to all parties that since it is the Budget Session and the first session of this year, the President will be addressing. After the President’s address, the Economic Survey will be presented on January 31. On February 1, the Union Budget will be presented, after which discussions will be held on the President's address followed by the discussions on the Budget.

He added: “Tomorrow, with the Rajya Sabha Chairman and Lok Sabha Speaker, the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) will decide the duration of discussions on the President's address and the Budget discussion.” There are 16 bills and 19 businesses already listed in both Houses.

Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury said: "We hope that Parliament will function smoothly and we will be able to hold discussions... We want to be able to talk about the Budget which they claim is going to be historic...”

Talking about special status for Odisha, BJD MP Sasmit Patra said: “Why is the BJP backing away from their commitment? The BJD and our leader Naveen Patnaik wish to get the status of special category state for Odisha in this session… The farmers’ issue is another major issue.”

Meanwhile Azad Samaj Party-Kanshiram president and MP Chandrashekhar Azad said: “There are many issues because the House could not function the last time around... There are issues like national scholarship for SC/ST students, the increasing atrocities on the SC/ST community, caste census, the one-sided ruling of the JPC on Waqf, among other issues.”
The Opposition INDIA bloc will raise all issues together in the Budget Session, Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said. He said his party will flag the issue of the religious congregation at Maha Kumbh becoming a gathering of VIPs linked with the ruling BJP. The issue of rising unemployment and the plight of farmers will also be raised in the session, he added.

President Droupadi Murmu will address both Houses of Parliament on Friday, January 31, kickstarting the session, in which Budget 2025 will be presented by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1.

The first part of the Budget Session will begin on January 31 and continue till February 13. The second part of the session will begin on March 10 and end on April 4.