Opposition urged the President to summon the Parliament session
NEW DELHI : The Congress has accused the government of delaying the winter session of Parliament “without ascribing any justification for doing so” and approached President Ram Nath Kovind, urging him to direct the Centre to summon the Houses at the earliest.
16 opposition parties, including Congress, arch rivals TMC and the Left, SP and BSP, besides DMK, JMM, NCP and others met the President at Rashtrapati Bhawan this evening and handed over a memorandum, which alleged a “brute and authoritarian” government was “stifling” the democratic process.
The JD-U, whose president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has supported demonetization, however, was not part of the delegation. “We appeal to you as the custodian and protector of the Constitution to intervene at this juncture as the democratic rights are being trampled upon by a brute and authoritarian government that is hell bent upon stifling the democratic and legislative process of our Parliament,” the memorandum said.
The memorandum said though Lok Sabha members raised these issues in the House, their democratic rights were denied on the plea that there was no time to wait for the President’s assent as the bill was very important.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who was part of the delegation, alleged that Parliamentary procedure was not followed in the passing of the legislation and voice of people was being “suppressed blatantly” now in Parliament too.
kkkkkk”We met the President because of the Bill that was passed without allowing any discussion. There is a sense in the country that the voice of the people is being suppressed and crushed.
TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay said as many as 16 opposition parties got together and explained to the President how the Income Tax Amendment Bill was taken up and passed. Bandyopadhyay said the opposition was united on the issue and hoped it will remain so.
They also reiterated the party’s allegation that the government was avoiding facing Parliament and answering questions on its “flawed and unpopular” policies an “rampant corruption”.
The leaders said the 2012 Assembly polls in the State were held on December 13 and December 17. Parliament session, however, was duly convened on November 22 “as per practice” and adjourned on December 20 of that year.
