Budget Session: Second leg to see fireworks over delimitation row, Trump's tariffs; Waqf Bill on govt's agenda

The second leg of the Budget session of Parliament is set to resume on Monday and is expected to be a stormy one with both the Opposition and Government ready to outdo each other on multiple issues.

While the Opposition will seek to take on the Centre over the issue of Duplicate Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers, delimitation row and reciprocal tariffs threat by the United States, the govt is expected to push through the contentious Waqf bill through the Parliament and would be ready to walk an extra mile if needed, said sources.

TMC and DMK are expected to lead the Opposition’s attack on the Centre as the respective parties have raised strong reservations against EPIC and alleged imposition of Hindi language on Southern states.

The controversy over EPIC broke out after Trinamool Congress leaders claimed that the voter lists were manipulated in Bengal, to allow people from other states to cast ballots in the TMC-ruled state.

The poll panel was quick to rubbish the charges and went on to clarify that the EPIC numbers of some voters look identical in some cases, but other details show striking dissimilarities pertaining to constituency, polling booths, and demographic information.

Opposition parties refused to buy the EC’s arguments on EPIC numbers and are now set to create a fresh furore in the House over it. Congress and TMC both are expected to raise the issue collectively in the House.

Another issue that is likely to reverberate strongly in the House – includes delimitation and the three-language policy.

The DMK MPs are likely to escalate their opposition on multiple matters including delimitation and three-language policy. While Congress has remained largely neutral on the issue, the DMK is likely to up the ante and corner the dispensation, claiming that it was the Centre’s ‘cruel’ attempt to impose Hindi on the state.

In a meeting of MPs led by DMK chief MK Stalin on Sunday, the party also passed a resolution against the delimitation exercise, which it said should be at the centre of debate in the Parliament, starting on Monday.

However, for the government, the passage of the Waqf bill remains its top priority.

The concern was echoed by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, who recently said that the bill will address many problems of the community and make their lives easier. The JPC report on the Waqf Bill was submitted in the first half of the Budget Session, amid vociferous protests by the Opposition.

The first part of the Budget session of Parliament took place from January 31 to February 13. The second leg of the Budget session will commence on Monday (March 10) and conclude on April 4.