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The deadlocked Agra summit and a number of other issues are likely to rock Parliament's six-week monsoon session commencing on Monday, with the opposition parties all set to confront the Vajpayee government on what they term as its "diplomatic failure" in the Indo-Pak talks.
The other issues on which the government would face the opposition's ire are recall of the Tamil Nadu governor, Manipur crisis, Orissa floods, Tehelka and economic matters like the Unit Trust of India muddle and disinvestment of public sector units, particularly Air India.
Beginning exactly a week after the Vajpayee-Musharraf summit, the Congress, Left and other opposition parties, who have been accusing the government of holding the talks "without ground work and preparation", would demand a full discussion on the summit and a detailed explanation on the run-up to it.
The opposition has also been critical of the government's media "mismanagement" during the summit and advised the government to "take lessons" from the Agra talks for any future dialogue.
Deputy leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha Madhavrao Scindia said his party was disappointed that the summit did not succeed but was "not surprised" over the manner in which the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition handled it.
On the UTI scam, Scindia expressed shock over the way funds from the US-64 scheme were invested in non-listed and unknown companies, the manner in which big corporate houses were allowed to exit from the scheme two months back at a price of Rs 14.50 per unit and the finance minister's ignorance about what was happening in major financial institutions attached to his ministry.
The Congress would demand an answer from the government in the light of a series of scams like the customs, stock market and UTI scandals, he said.
The Tehelka expose, which had disrupted a major part of the last session of Parliament, would be raised again in the coming session.
The session has been extended by a week in deference to the wishes of Speaker G M C Balayogi to compensate for the days lost in the budget session over the Tehelka expose, leaving behind a long list of pending legislative business.
Among the government's list of priorities for the session are pending legislations like the Central Vigilance Commission Bill, Freedom of Information Bill, Election Laws Bill and the controversial Women's Reservation Bill. There are 28 bills pending in the Lok Sabha.
The long-awaited Communication Convergence Bill, Competition Bill and Insurance Act Amendment Bill are likely to be introduced during the session.
The session, which is likely to adjourn on August 31 and have 29 sittings, would also have discussion on a resolution regarding the imposition of President's rule in Manipur.
The government will come under opposition attack on the extension of the Naga ceasefire "without wider consultations" with those concerned and what they describe as "unceremonious" removal of the Tamil Nadu governor after the arrest of former chief minister M Karunanidhi and two Union ministers.
PTI
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