Oppn decides to raise people's issues in Parliament's special session

Leaders of INDIA bloc met here on Monday ahead of the start of special session of Parliament and decided to participate in the discussions and raise people's issues, sources said.

The leaders during the meeting of INDIA alliance in the morning decided to continue with the floor coordination among the parties during the five-day session and corner the government on issues of price rise, unemployment, Manipur violence and Chinese transgressions on the border.

They also decided to press the government to allow discussions on issues related to Adani firms, farmers distress, economic situation in the country, and the caste census.

Sources said the alliance decided to oppose the CEC and other ECs appointment bill which has already been introduced in the Rajya Sabha.

Leaders of the Congress, TMC, RJD, NCP, left parties, JMM, Samajwadi Party, DM and VCK were among those who attended the meeting at the office of leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge at around 10 AM.

Former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the absence of agenda for the special Parliament session, and proposing a list of issues she wanted a discussion on.

Gandhi listed nine issues for discussion in her letter which included price rise and violence in Manipur, Centre-state relations, rise in cases of communal tension, border transgressions by China, and the demand for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to investigate the transactions of the Adani business group in light of several revelations.

"I must point out that this special session has been convened without any consultation with other political parties. None of us have any idea of its agenda. All we have been communicated is that all five days have been allocated for government business," Gandhi said in her letter.

"We most certainly want to participate in the Special Session because it will give us an opportunity to raise matters of public concern and importance. I earnestly hope that time will be allocated under the appropriate Rules for a discussion and debate on these issues," she said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi has accused Gandhi of trying to politicise the functioning of Parliament and create unnecessary controversy.

"It is very unfortunate that you are trying to politicise the functioning of Parliament, our temple of democracy, and create unnecessary controversy," the parliamentary affairs minister stated in his response to Gandhi earlier.