Government agrees to hold debate on JNU issue in Parliament

New Delhi, Feb 21: Ahead of the Budget session of Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday conceded Opposition demand to debate the JNU controversy, but also asserted that "we want the entire nation to hear the debate." The move is seen as ruling BJP's attempt to brazen out and turn tables on the Opposition by initiating a debate on nationalism.

Government's willingness to debate JNU issue was conveyed at an all-party meeting convened by Vice-President and Chairman of Rajya Sabha Hamid Ansari here on Saturday.

Even though an official release by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat claimed that a general sense of agreement was arrived at the meeting that the House should legislate and deliberate all issues, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has summoned a meeting of party's top decision-making body, the Congress Working Committee (CWC), on Monday to discuss the "explosive situation" as well as to draw up the strategy to corner the government in Parliament.

Party sources said the CWC will discuss attempts by the government and the ruling BJP to dub Congress as "anti-national" through a disinformation campaign to turn tables on the JNU issue. They said the meeting may also discuss the electoral alliance with the Left as being pressed by the West Bengal party unit.

On the BJP's attempt to turn the JNU controversy into 'Deshbhakt vs Deshdrohi' debate, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi tweeted: "I do not want a report card or certificate from those who do "Puja" (pray) Godse who had pumped three bullets in Gandhi. Mere khoon me deshbhakti hai (patriotism is in my blood)

At the all-party meeting, Opposition leader Ghulam Nabi Azad sought a debate on the prevailing situation in the universities, including JNU and University of Hyderabad. The Congress sources said the party would also raise the government's attempts to end the minority status of Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia on the ground that both are Central universities and as such cannot reserve seats for Muslims. Finance minister Arun Jaitley, leader of House, said the government was open to discuss all issues, but sought the Opposition's help in passing urgent Bills besides the budget in the first part of the Budget session. There was also an agreement to pass a Bill without discussion on delimitation in West Bengal to grant voting rights to people who are from the Bangladeshi enclaves merged into India. The Rajya Sabha had witnessed repeated disruptions in the monsoon and winter sessions with the Opposition blocking key reform measures of the government.

Earlier, while welcoming the leaders, Hamid Ansari said, the time has come to assure the public that parliamentary democracy does work and is sensitive to the needs of the people.