Sonia writes to Modi, lists 9 issues for special Parliament session

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.

Raising the China issue, she listed the continued occupation of Indian territory by China and "challenges to our sovereignty on our borders in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh".

Gandhi also raised the "urgent need for a caste census", a demand which the Congress and some other parties have been raising for quite some time.

She listed for discussion the issues of damages inflicted on Centre-State relations and the impact of natural disasters caused by extreme floods in some states and drought in others.

Besides, the chairperson of the Congress parliamentary party pointed to the current economic situation with focus on increasing price rise of essential commodities, growing unemployment, rise in inequalities and distress of MSMEs also to be discussed during the upcoming session.

Gandhi also said the commitment made by the Government of India to farmers and farmer organizations in regard to MSP and other demands raised by them also need to be discussed in Parliament.

"I earnestly hope that in a spirit of constructive cooperation, these issues will be taken up in the forthcoming special session," she said.

Listing the contents of Gandhi's letter to the prime minister, Congress general secretary Ramesh said at a press conference that the prime minister is in panic and is "fatigued". He also alleged that there "autocracy" was prevailing in the country.

Attacking the prime minister, Ramesh claimed, "All his actions -- his revival of a dead NDA when our Bengaluru meeting was going on, his response to the formation of the INDIA group, his unilateral decision to call this five day session... These are all symbols of a panic-stricken administration. After nine years, it is a case of maximum fatigue, maximum panic."

Addressing the media at the AICC headquarters, Ramesh said, "We want that the upcoming session is constructive and this was decided at the meeting of the strategy group and during the meeting of INDIA parties."

He said the Congress and INDIA parties had discussions at the strategy group meeting presided over by Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge.

"We decided that we will not boycott the session and we will raise the issues of the people," he noted.

"If there is no 'shehnai' of democracy in the mother of democracy, then what kind of democracy is this," Ramesh asked,.

He said the rules under which the discussion can take place can be discussed mutually.

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