Delimitation not just an INDIA bloc issue, concerns our Constitutional framework’ says Congress’ K.C. Venugopal
Ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal speaks to The Hindu on the BJP’s push for the Constitution (131st
Ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal speaks to The Hindu on the BJP’s push for the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill on delimitation, the changing Opposition numbers, students losing faith in examinations after repeated paper leaks, concerns among vehicle owners over the use of ethanol in fuel, among others. Edited excerpts The Opposition benches will look very different this Monsoon Session, with 20 Trinamool Congress MPs and six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs now sitting with the NDA, and the DMK will be a separate bloc. Does this fundamentally alter the Opposition’s numbers and morale? Not at all. The seating arrangement may have changed, but that is not going to change the character of Parliament or the Opposition’s resolve. We will continue our fight against what we see as the government’s anti-Constitutional agenda with the same vigour. This is not merely about numbers. The BJP is trying very hard to secure a two-thirds majority to push through Constitutional amendments, particularly on delimitation. But we are confident that parties understand the seriousness of the issue. Delimitation is not a Congress issue or an INDIA bloc issue alone; it is a national issue because it concerns India’s democratic and constitutional framework. The government appears to be trying to divide Opposition parties to facilitate its agenda.
In Bengal, even the Opposition has been handpicked by the BJP. The same MPs who strongly opposed the delimitation Bill in the previous session have now crossed over. The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill on changing the Lok Sabha’s strength and delimitation is expected to be one of the most contentious pieces of legislation. Has the INDIA (Indian Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc evolved a common strategy on the Bill? The INDIA bloc, along with several Opposition parties outside the alliance, believes this is a matter of national concern. We fundamentally oppose any attempt to alter the constitutional balance in a manner that undermines federalism and democratic representation. The people are losing faith in the BJP and its leadership. That is why they [the BJP] want to win elections through other means like delimitation, SIR (special intensive revision of electoral rolls) and by splitting parties. These are all assaults on the Constitution and democratic rights. If the government puts the clause of a 50% increase in seats for all States in the text of the bill, will the Opposition agree? Our first demand is that the government convene an all-party meeting and explain its intentions. We made the same demand when the Bill was introduced earlier. The Congress president has also conveyed this in writing.
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