New Delhi: Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi Wednesday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the upcoming special session of Parliament, and sought time to discuss nine issues over its five-day duration.
The issues include a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) investigation into “revelations” about the Adani Group’s “transactions”, the “breakdown of constitutional machinery in Manipur”, which has been in the grips of ethnic violence since May, and “occupation of Indian territory” by China.
The letter came a day after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge held a meeting of floor leaders of the INDIA parties about the upcoming special parliamentary session, scheduled from 18-22 September.
Sonia noted in her letter that the “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,” she added.
Sonia said her party will “most certainly” want to participate in the special session to raise matters of “public concern and importance”.
On Tuesday, the Congress’ parliamentary strategy group had met in the national Capital to discuss the strategy for the special session.
Congress general secretary incharge of communications, Jairam Ramesh informed the media Wednesday that a decision was taken at the meeting — called by Kharge — that Sonia will write to the prime minister regarding the special session.
The nine issues raised in the letter include “rise in communal tensions in different states like Haryana”, “agony faced by faced by the people of Manipur and breakdown of constitutional machinery and social harmony in the state”, “continued occupation of Indian territory by China and challenges to our sovereignty on our borders in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh”, “demand for JPC to investigate the transactions of the Adani business group in light of all revelations”, and “current economic situation with focus on increasing price rise of essential commodities, growing unemployment, rise in inequalities and distress of MSMEs”.
The other issues are “urgent need” for caste census, “damaged Centre-state relations”, impact of natural disasters caused by floods & drought in different parts of the country, and the Modi government’s “commitment to farmers and farmer organisations regarding MSP”.
Speaking about the letter, Ramesh said, apart from these nine issues, state-specific concerns will also be raised by Opposition parties during the session.
(Edited by Sunanda Ranjan)
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