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Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi
The Opposition is all set to block the passage of the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance in Parliament when it convenes for its winter session on Monday.
However, nothing much is likely to happen on the first day as Parliament most likely would be adjourned after both Houses pay tribute to the late Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia who died in a plane crash six weeks back.
But Tuesday, as indicated by some opposition leaders, would be packed with action.
Tuesday is also the day when Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is scheduled to make a statement on his recent three-nation tour.
"The government may make sympathetic noises and hold an all-party meeting on POTO. But as long as its draconian measures are intact, we will oppose it lock, stock and barrel," Congress chief spokesman S Jaipal Reddy said.
"Our party president madam Sonia Gandhi has apprised the prime minister and his government that the Opposition should have been taken into confidence, instead of springing POTO as a surprise on us. We have reasons to believe that its provisions will be misused by the police," Reddy said.
With the Opposition adamant and Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani asserting that there was little scope for political bargaining on the bill, the winter sessions is bound to be stormy.
Union Law and Justice Minister Arun Jaitley has made it clear there are only two possible scenarios as far as the fate of POTO is concerned -- either its gets passage in Parliament or gets rejected.
However, the prime minister is willing to give the Opposition a hearing. And that is exactly what he will do at the all-party meeting on Monday.
A senior Bharatiya Janata Party Lok Sabha member, not wishing to be identified, said the government would like to see what amendments the Opposition is seeking in the bill. "Any drastic amendments in the ordinance would not be acceptable," the MP belonging to Jharkhand said.
Significantly, the BJP has not made any secret of the fact that those opposing the bill would be seen as helping the cause of the terrorists.
"For an unscrupulous party like the Congress, which introduced the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act, acting coy on POTO is a laugh," senior BJP leader Jagdish Prasad Mathur said.
Mathur contended that even states not ruled by the National Democratic Alliance have often approached the Centre for help to tackle various forms of terrorism.
"I think if the Opposition parties cause POTO to be defeated in the Rajya Sabha, they would have little face left to seek Central help in fighting terrorism," he added.
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