NEW DELHI, Sept 6:
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi today accused Congress leader Sonia Gandhi of trying to politicise the functioning of Parliament and create unnecessary controversy.
Joshi’s response came after Gandhi wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to point out that no agenda was listed for the upcoming special session of Parliament. She also proposed that nine issues, including violence in Manipur and price rise, be listed for discussion during the session.
“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 said in his response to Gandhi.
Joshi said the Parliament session has been convened from September 18 after following all established procedures. Political parties are never consulted before calling a Parliament session, he said in his letter to the Congress leader.
“Perhaps, you do not pay attention to traditions. Before calling a Parliament session, neither discussions are held with political parties nor issues are ever discussed,” Joshi said.
The Minister said after a session is called by the President and before the commencement of the session, a meeting of all party leaders is held. In this meeting issues and functioning of Parliament are discussed, Joshi added.
On the issues listed by Gandhi for discussion in her letter to the Prime Minister, he said they have already been discussed and answered by the Government during the debate on no-trust motion in the Monsoon session.
Opposition parties had moved the no-confidence motion against the Modi Government in the Monsoon session that started on July 20 and was adjourned sine die on August 11.
In his letter to Gandhi, Joshi, “I would also like to say that our Government is always ready to discuss any issue.”
“By the way, all the issues which you have mentioned were raised during the discussion on the no-confidence motion during the Monsoon session recently and the Government had also responded to them,” he said.
In her letter to the Prime mMinister, the issues that Gandhi had listed for discussion included 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.
Joshi asserted that the agenda of the session will be circulated “at the appropriate time as per the usual practice established”.
“I also want to point out again that in our parliamentary system, the agenda has never been circulated in advance at the time of convening Parliament, irrespective of which party is in power,” he said.
Joshi said that he is “fully confident” that the dignity of Parliament will be maintained during the special session and it will not be used for political reasons.
“I look forward to your full cooperation in the smooth conduct of the forthcoming session, which may lead to meaningful outcomes in the nation’s interest,” the Minister said in his letter to Gandhi.
Earlier, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to point out that no agenda was listed for the special Parliament session and to raise nine issues, including violence in Manipur and price rise, for discussion during it.
The issues listed by Gandhi include 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.
According to her party colleague Jairam Ramesh, this is the first time no agenda has been discussed or listed in the business of the House.
Seeking time to hold a discussion on the nine issues raised, Gandhi wrote of the “continued agony faced by people of Manipur and breakdown of Constitutional machinery and social harmony in the State”. She also brought up the rise in communal tension in different states such as Haryana.(PTI)
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