Special session's agenda to be decided after G20 Summit: Pralhad Joshi

Keeping the suspense over the agenda of the special session of the Parliament called from September 18 to 22 alive even amid objection from the Opposition for not consulting them, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday stated that the agenda of the session would be brought to the notice of the Opposition leaders in the business advisory committee meeting and all-party floor leaders' meeting to be held one or two days prior to the session.

"The agenda will be known at the appropriate time. The government's items would be brought to their notice during business advisory committee meeting and all-party floor leaders meeting. This was also not happening when the Congress was in power," he said, adding that no discussion in the Parliament session can be held secretly as it is a public forum.

Stating that the agenda of the session would be decided in the Cabinet sub-committee, with the prime minister's guidance after G-20 Summit gets over, he said, "We can't answer about speculations and rumours," when asked whether renaming the country from India to Bharat would be in the agenda.

There is no need to discuss this issue, and the government's spokesman Anurag Thakur has already given clarification. Has anybody officially said that the name of India would be changed as Bharat?, he asked.

Terming the objection of not consulting the Opposition while calling the special session as unnecessary, Joshi said, since the first elections in 1952, there is no rule or practice of consulting the Opposition while calling the session. There is a well-established process and we did not do anything new. In around 60 years, the Congress toppled elected State Governments 92 times. Now, they are trying to teach the lesson of democracy to us, he said.

Joshi also stated that calling the session is the prerogative of the government irrespective of the party in power, and the President calls the session based on the request of the government.

On 'Sanatana Dharma' remarks

Joshi also charged that the Congress is not condemning DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin's remarks about 'Sanatana Dharma' because of its 'appeasement politics aimed at minority votes'.

"They behave like part-time Hindus when elections come, but they are not ready to condemn such remarks. Rahul Gandhi terms Muslim League as a secular party, and he has no strength to condemn this statement. This is height of appeasement politics, and they are also not condemning Udhayanidhi's remarks just to save their 'Ghamandiya Ghatbandhan'", he charged.

There is an instruction from the top in the Congress to behave and speak keeping appeasement and minority vote bank in view, and therefore, all of them are speaking against 'Sanatana Dharma' or Hindu religion, Joshi said.

On drought

Charging that the Congress government in Karnataka has failed to handle the drought situation, Joshi said, "Why the State Government did not provide funds to handle drought situation, instead of blaming the Centre and Modi for everything? Did B S Yediyurappa not give Rs five lakh compensation from the State Government for house collapse when compensation as per the NDRF norms were less? If there are any issue related to norms, let them discuss with the Centre, which will co-operate with and support all States irrespective of the party in power."

Congress government here betrayed the farmers by releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu even in a drought situation, to save their 'Ghamandiya Ghatbandhan'. They should have approached the Supreme Court before releasing water, and not after that, he added.

Claiming that the Centre is not able to supply rice to state governments including BJP-ruled ones due to shortage of rice, Joshi said, Congress leaders blame Modi for this also, as they feel that the position of the prime minister is reserved for 'fake Gandhi family' and they cannot tolerate a person coming from a poor family sitting there.