Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, Feb 22: The NDA government Sunday reached out to the Opposition ahead of the Budget session with Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi over its agenda that includes the contentious Ordinance on land acquisition.
The government agenda for the session beginning Monday includes 44 items of financial, legislative and non-legislative business.
Naidu met Gandhi in the morning and later met leaders of Opposition parties over lunch to seek their cooperation, but they conveyed their concern on the land ordinance. Though the government has not spoken of making changes in it so far, there appears to be a rethink on the issue.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who met some farmers’ representatives on the issue, was told by them the government had brought the measure without proper consultations, said sources. The representatives asked him to ensure that their views are taken into account before bringing the bill replacing the Ordinance in Parliament.
The Bharatiya Janata Party is apparently concerned about activist Anna Hazare’s protest against the Ordinance and any perception of the party being viewed as anti-farmer. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is also expected to lead a protest on the issue. Naidu told Sonia Gandhi the land ordinance was brought after consultations with various states and stakeholders but she said that her party had its concerns.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was present at the all-party meeting, said it was the collective responsibility of all parties to run the House. After the meeting, Naidu told reporters that it was ‘‘very successful.’’
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