Winter session: Oppn demands discussion on border issue with China

Matters will be taken up in keeping with House norms: Centre at all-party meet

Notwithstanding hopes that the upcoming winter session of Parliament will be contention-free, the Opposition set the ball rolling, with the Congress demanding discussion on the Sino-Indian border issue and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) flagging alleged misuse of law enforcement agencies like the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation, and economic blockade of states at an all-party meeting convened by the government on Tuesday, with the Centre assuring it will take up issues according to the rules and norms of Parliament.
 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha (RS) Piyush Goyal, and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi were present from the government.
 

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, TMC Member of Parliament (MP) Derek O’Brien, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP T R Baalu, and Harsimrat Kaur Badal from the Shiromani Akali Dal were among those representing the Opposition.

Price rise, unemployment, and the situation at the Sino-India border were among the issues Opposition parties demanded discussions on during the all-party meeting.
 

Chowdhury alleged that the government did not “properly” inform the Opposition about the stand-off at the Sino-India border.

“In the House, we demand a discussion on it, as well as on the killings of Kashmiri Pandits,” he added.
 

Congress leader Naseer Hussain demanded discussions on the appointment of the Election Commissioner in 24 hours and the Economically Weaker Section quota.
 

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) demanded passage of the women’s reservation Bill in the winter session. BJD RS member Sasmit Patra raised the issue, saying the empowerment of women is necessary for the overall development of the country.

“On behalf of my party — the BJD — I demanded that the women’s reservation Bill be passed in the winter session,” Patra told reporters after the meeting.
 

The meeting was convened by the central government to discuss the legislative agenda and the issues likely to be discussed during the winter session that begins on December 7 and ends on December 29. The government hopes to pass 16 Bills.

OPEN HOUSE

Winter session will have 17 sittings over 23 days. The government plans to bring 16 new Bills during the session
 

WHAT’S UP FOR DEBATE

• National security
• China border ‘incursions’
• Cyberattack on AIIMS
• ‘Uncontrolled’ inflation, price rise of essential commodities
• Rising unemployment
• Failure to provide legal sanctity to minimum support price
• Rethink on EWS reservation after Supreme Court verdict

STICKING POINTS

• Recent conflict between judiciary and Centre
• Falling rupee, declining GDP growth
• Alleged voter ‘theft’ in Karnataka
• Attacks on Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu & Kashmir