BJP Delaying Winter Session to Avoid Scrutiny, Says Congress

New Delhi: Congress has accused the BJP of delaying the Winter Session of Parliament to avoid Opposition scrutiny on issues like GST and demonetisation ahead of the upcoming assembly election in Gujarat.

In a tweet on Friday afternoon, Congress spokesperson and Lok Sabha MP from Assam, Sushmita Deb, asked the government why dates for the parliament session have not been announced yet.

“The government feels they have no responsibility to the parliament. They only indulge in politicking. Demonetisation and GST are issues that the government needs to answer for and the winter session should be called urgently,” said Randeep Surjewala, Congress Spokesperson.

Constitutionally, it is binding on the government that difference between the two sessions of parliament should not exceed six months. The monsoons session ended in August, and technically, the NDA can wait till February before calling for the next meeting of the house.

But conventionally, parliament sessions are called thrice every year- winter, budget and monsoon. The winter session is usually held for a month beginning in the third week of November.

This year, however, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA), which is headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, is yet to meet and finalise the session dates.

Sources say that the delay is on account of Gujarat polls, which will keep top party leaders from both Congress and BJP out of Delhi.

The CCPA recommendation is sent to the President of India, who calls the parliament to session.

This call is notified at least a fortnight ahead of the first meeting of parliament. As the CCPA is yet to be convened, it means, parliament can be called to session latest by end of November.

The government, however, has rebutted any allegations imputing political motives to delay in calling the parliament to session.

But now Trinamool Congress, Congress and the Samajwadi Party plan to approach the Lok Sabha speaker, seeking intervention from the presiding chair of the Lok Sabha.

The opposition also plans to give a notice demanding a discussion on media reports related to of BJP President Amit Shah.