The issue of uniform civil code will dominate the monsoon session

New Delhi: If the Congress and other opposition parties decide not to stall the proceedings, the Monsoon Session of Parliament scheduled to begin from July 20 promises to generate a lot of heat as the government proposes to introduce the Uniform Civil Code bill. The session will continue till August 11. Though all opposition parties could not come to any unanimity regarding forming a front against the BJP-led NDA government at the Patna meeting and in fact more fissures appeared, the Congress party feels that there should be some floor coordination with like-minded parties to raise its apprehensions on issue regarding UCC and the central ordinance which sought to take control of Delhi’s bureaucracy and seek clarifications. Sources say that efforts to have floor coordination has begun. The AICC strategy committee, which met in Delhi on Saturday, discussed its stand on the Uniform Civil Code and the central ordinance which would be placed before the Parliament for ratification. Opposition parties specially the AAP has been claiming that it amounts to skirting a Supreme Court verdict. On the other hand, the BJP’s top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended a crucial meeting of the party chaired by party president J P Nadda where the discussion on the UCC and to bring a bill to replace the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance were discussed. The saffron party has already reached out to all its friendly parties to garner support to pass the UCC bill and the bill to regularise the ordinance in both the houses of Parliament. The government would also introduce the National Research Foundation Bill, cleared by the Union Cabinet during the session. The proposed foundation will be a new funding agency to bolster the country’s research competence in areas of science and technology. Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi on Saturday urged political parties to contribute towards productive discussions during the session. The Monsoon Session is expected to commence in the old Parliament building and later move to the new building, sources said. The new building was inaugurated by Modi on May 28. The session will be spread across 23 days and will have 17 sittings, he said in another tweet in Hindi.