Sonia Gandhi seeks clarity from Modi on Parliament special session
Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi questioning the agenda of the upcoming special session of Parliament since the government has not yet revealed it. She also requested discussions on key issues during the session, including price rise and communal violence. Earlier, Congress leaders said that all constituents of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc endorsed Gandhi's letter.
Why does this story matter?
The government last week announced a special session of Parliament from September 18 to 22 after the Monsoon Session concluded on August 11. The announcement coincided with the INDIA bloc's meeting in Mumbai, where the opposition was strategizing to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The announcement sparked speculations that the Centre may bring forward the Lok Sabha elections and may change the country's name from "India" to "Bharat."
Here is Sonia Gandhi's letter
How was it decided?
The decision was taken at the Congress parliamentary strategy group's meeting on Tuesday. The Congress conveyed the decision to the INDIA bloc's floor leaders, who then met at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's residence. Some leaders reportedly said that, as the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Kharge should write the letter on behalf of the entire opposition. However, the Congress insisted that Gandhi write the letter representing the bloc, which was reportedly agreed upon by all constituents.
Opposition divided on session approach
The INDIA bloc intends to discuss fresh allegations against the Adani Group, price rise, unemployment, the Manipur situation, and Centre-state relations. Kharge announced additional issues for consensus-building, including a caste census and the women's reservation bill, which some parties oppose. While opposition parties demand discussions on various issues during the special session, there are differences among them. Smaller parties have suggested boycotting the session, while larger parties want to attend with a positive agenda.
Women's reservation bill sparks disagreement
Reportedly, the women's reservation bill led to disagreements among opposition parties at Tuesday's meeting. The Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC), Left, and a few other parties have announced their support for the bill if it comes up during the special session. However, the Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, and Janata Dal (United) are demanding a quota within a quota. There was also no discussion on a sub-quota for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) despite demands for a caste census.
