No Agenda for Par Special Session: Opposition Slams Modi Govt, Sonia Writes to PM

Delhi: Speculations and concerns are rising over the upcoming Special Session of the Parliament as leaders of opposition parties turn up the heat on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party because no agenda has been listed for the said session.

On Wednesday, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the absence of the Special Session’s agenda and raised nine issues, including violence in Manipur, for discussion. 

The issues listed by Sonia Gandhi included Centre-state relations, rise in cases of communal tension and border transgressions by China. “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.

The special session of Parliament will be held from September 18 to 22.

Addressing the media at the AICC headquarters, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said this is the first time that no agenda has been discussed or listed in the business of the House.

Ramesh said, “The floor leaders of all parties in INDIA met yesterday evening and decided the battle strategy for this Special Sessions. They all agreed that INDIA parties will not boycott the session. It is an opportunity for us to raise people’s issues. We will try our best to ensure that all the parties can present their issues, even though the time is limited.”

Opposition parties of the INDIA alliance on Tuesday held a meeting and demanded that the government maintain transparency on the agenda of the special session. At the meeting, the opposition parties decided to move together in the upcoming session and also raise the Adani issue. 

Slamming the Modi government for convening the Special Session without disclosing the agenda, INC President Mallikarjun Kharge said on X: "This is not the way to run a Democracy. Everyday, Modi Govt plants a story in the media of a prospective ‘agenda’, thereby creating a smokescreen of diversion from real issues burdening the people. BJP wants to keep key issues like Price Rise, Unemployment, Manipur, China’s transgressions, CAG Reports, Scams and Weakening of Institutions etc. aside and cheat our people."

Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brian also took to X to comment on the issue in a sarcastic manner. Writing "Here's the agenda" in the caption, he posted a picture of a blank paper. 

PM @narendramodi government calls a Special Session of #Parliament

Here’s the agenda👇 pic.twitter.com/l0hI8QNkTx

— Derek O'Brien | ডেরেক ও'ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) September 6, 2023

O'Brian also attended the meeting of the INDIA bloc, post which he told the press, "Where is the agenda for this session? Why is it being kept secret? In a Parliamentary democracy, why is the agenda being kept secret?"

Another INDIA ally, Janata Dal-United, also criticised the BJP government for this move. The party's National President Lalan Singh said, “They should tell the agenda of the Special Session... This has not happened till now that a Special Session is called, and there is no clear agenda on what is going to be discussed...They are trying to end democracy."