Special Session Of Parliament: Congress Asks Govt To Spell Out Agenda
Congress on Tuesday demanded the central government to spell out the agenda of the special session of parliament, which is being held from September 18 to 22, accusing it of being keeping the country in the dark.
“The parliament belonged to the country and the country was being kept in dark by the government”, observed Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh and the Deputy Leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi after an AICC meeting in Delhi.
“This government [central government] is neither transparent, nor responsible”, Mr Gogoi said to the media after the meeting.
Congress wants certain issues like the economic situation of the country, unemployment, price hike, Himachal floods, Adani row and Manipur violence, among others, to be discussed in the special session.
The special session of the parliament, scheduled to be held from September 18-22, was called by the central government to introduce the “One Nation One Election” bill. The buzz about the change in country”s name from “India” to “Bharat” is also instigating outrageous comments widespread.
The urge was raised at the end of two back-to-back meetings – a Congress internal meeting at Congress leader and MP Sonia Gandhi”s residence and an INDIA leaders” meet at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge”s home.
The Congress had conducted a Parliamentary Party Strategy Group meeting in Delhi on Tuesday. The meeting was presided over by the Chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
“The parliament belonged to the country and the country was being kept in dark by the government”, said Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh and the Deputy Leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi to the media after the meeting.
“The government should be transparent. “But this government is neither transparent, nor responsible”, Mr Gogoi added.
He also pointed out that, whatever is coming out is through the media as the BJP government has kept the country in the dark. “What is the agenda, what are the issues”, said Mr Gogoi.
According to him, “Various issues facing the country including the economic situation, unemployment, inflation, devastation caused in Himachal Pradesh by floods as also in the North-East, instability in various parts of the country including Manipur where people are still being killed, the Adani issue and the Nuh and other similar incidents” were also discussed in the meeting.
“Normally whenever a special session is held, the information about the agenda is already given in advance to all the parties, observed Mr Ramesh.
“Discussions are held with various parties and their leaders and an agenda is decided. This is for the first time that all of a sudden, while the INDIA parties were meeting in Mumbai, the Prime Minister and his senior colleagues got a special session of parliament announced to divert the attention”, Mr Ramesh added.
He also said that the opposition had no information about the issues and the parliamentary bulletin mentions government business during all the five days from September 18 to 22.
“This is one sided cannon-fire from the government as we have no information, as there were no discussions with us”, he said.
Mr Ramesh also expressed his party’s willingness to cooperate with the government during the special session saying that the Congress looks forward to discuss various issues facing by the country – like social, economic, political and diplomatic issues – in the parliament during the special session.
He expressed that Congress hopes the government will take the opposition parties along this time to take up various issues being raised by them (the opposition).
