Congress to raise Ram Mandir donation row, oppose delimitation bill in Parliament
Senior Congress leaders on Thursday finalised the party's strategy for the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament, announcing that they would oppose several Bills expected to
Senior Congress leaders on Thursday finalised the party's strategy for the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament, announcing that they would oppose several Bills expected to be introduced by the Centre and raise issues ranging from the alleged misuse of Ram Mandir donations to India's ties with China, the United States and West Asia conflict. Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party in New Delhi, senior leaders Jairam Ramesh and Syed Naseer Hussain outlined the party's legislative strategy. Read Full Story Syed Naseer Hussain said the meeting focused on the issues the Congress intends to raise during the session and the party's approach towards the bills that the government is expected to introduce.
Jairam Ramesh said the meeting, chaired by Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, lasted for around one-and-a-half hours. He said the party had not yet taken a final position on the bills likely to be introduced, as the government has not formally shared the legislative agenda. "The all-party meeting has been convened on July 19. The formal details of the bills will be available only then," Ramesh said. Criticising the format of the all-party meeting, Ramesh claimed that despite around 35 participants attending, only four representatives from the government are allowed to speak. He also said the Congress has learnt that the government is making serious efforts to bring back the proposed Delimitation Bill and that the issue figured prominently during the party's discussions.
The Congress said it would strongly oppose the proposed delimitation legislation. It also announced its opposition to the proposed bill relating to the removal of the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers upon imprisonment, as well as amendments to the Food Security Act. Ramesh alleged that the ruling dispensation was attempting to secure a two-thirds majority by weakening opposition parties. He asserted that the Congress remains in constant touch with its allies under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and claimed that the BJP-led NDA would not be able to secure the numbers required for constitutional amendments. Calling such attempts "disrespectful to the people's mandate and the Constitution", Ramesh said the Congress would raise the alleged embezzlement of donations collected for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya during the Monsoon session.
The BriefWire