Congress demands short winter session of Parliament

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with floor leaders in Parliament, Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Thursday wrote to Speaker Om Birla to convene a short winter session.

Chowdhury said that a number of issues such as farmers’ agitation, status/preparation of Covid-19 vaccine, Chinese intrusion, economic slowdown, and unemployment scenario to press for the session.

The demand for the convening of the Parliament Session also came a day after the protesting farmers called for a special session to repeal the three farm sector reforms.

Also Read | Convene Parliament session without delay: Manish Tewari

“I would like to draw your kind attention that there are a number of very important issues that the nation is facing in the present times. The most notable among them is the ongoing farmers’ agitation, status/preparation of Covid-19 vaccine, the economic slowdown, unemployment scenario, the continuous stand-off on India-China border, ‘unabated ceasefire violations on the Indo-Pak border’,” Chowdhury said the letter to the Speaker.

“There is a need for a thorough and transparent debate/discussion on all the above mentioned important issues,” he said.

“In view of the above, I shall request you that a short Winter Session may be convened taking all Covid precautions. This will help the nation at large to understand and appreciate current important issues that the country is grappling with,” he added.

Chowdhury’s demand came a day after senior Congress leader Manish Tewari called for the immediate convening of the Parliament Session.

“Winter session of Parliament should be convened. Standing Committees & Joint Parliamentary Committees are meeting daily. What is a rationale to skip Winter Session,” Tewari said referring to the farmers’ agitation.

The government is planning to merge the Winter Session with the Budget Session of Parliament which begins on January 31.