New Delhi: Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) held a meeting today at the Central Hall of Parliament to discuss various issues that are going to be raised by the main Opposition party during the ongoing Winter Session.
The meeting was chaired by CPP Chief Sonia Gandhi who slammed the Central Government on various issues including inflation, economic distress, Covid-19 management, border conflicts, farmers protest and others.
Sonia Gandhi once again asserted over the demand for a full-fledged discussion on border issues and India's relations with other countries.
"It is extraordinary that Parliament has been given no opportunity whatsoever so far to have a discussion on the challenges we continue to face on our borders. Such a discussion would have also been an opportunity to demonstrate a collective will and resolve," the CPP Chief said in her address during the meet.
She further asserted, "The government may not want to answer difficult questions but it is the right and duty of the Opposition to seek clarifications and explanations. The Modi Government steadfastly refuses to allocate time for a debate. I would once again urge for a full-fledged discussion on the border situation and relations with our neighbours."
She also slammed the Government for not holding a discussion during the repeal of three contentious farm laws by saying that the Centre has done it in its "usual style".
Remembering the 700 farmers who lost their lives during their agitation against the three laws, she mentioned that Congress is firm to stand by the farmers in their demands for a legally guaranteed MSP, remunerative prices that meet the costs of cultivation, and compensation to the bereaved families.
She also raised the issue of spiralling inflation, saying, "I cannot understand how and why the Modi Government is so insensitive and continues to deny the seriousness of the problem. It seems impervious to the suffering of the people."
She alleged that the steps Center has recently taken to reduce petrol, diesel, and cooking gas prices are "totally insufficient and inadequate".
She said, "As usual, the government has passed on the responsibility for duty cuts to financially strapped state governments - when it itself has far greater room for action. And all this while, the Centre persists with huge public expenditure on vain glorious projects!"
She claimed that the rising prices of cement, steel and other basic industrial commodities also does not bode well for economic recovery.
Speaking over the matter of economic distress, Gandhi said, "Yes, the economy had lost its momentum well before Covid-19 struck. Yes, the pandemic accelerated this loss. But thanks to the Government’s half-hearted and ill-advised responses, the situation has become even more serious."
Sonia further asked, "For quite some time, spokespersons of the Government have been proclaiming that the economy is on its way to a speedy recovery. But recovery for whom is the real question? A few big companies making profits or the stock market rising to new heights does not mean that the economy is recovering. And if profits are being made by shedding labour, what social value do these profits have?"
She also accused the Government of selling off the assets of the country. "First, the Prime Minister destroyed the economy with his demonetization move of November 2016. He is continuing on that disastrous path but calling it monetization. Now, he is dismantling the public sector built up over the past seventy years with strategic, economic and social objectives in mind," she stated.
Coming to the Covid situation, Sonia Gandhi alleged that the country is nowhere close to reaching the level of double-dose vaccination announced by the Government for the end of the year, while the Center is busy celebrating the 100-crore mark.
Stating that the Government must learn a lesson from the previous waves for the preparation to deal with the Omicron variant, she asserted that efforts must clearly be intensified as the daily vaccination dose has to increase four-fold so that even 60% of the population is covered with both doses.
On the matter of the Nagaland killings, she said that the Government expressing regret is "not enough" and justice for the families of the victims has to be ensured at the earliest. "Credible steps must be taken to prevent the recurrence of such ghastly tragedies," she added.
She also called the suspension of 12 Opposition Rajya Sabha MPs for the entire Winter session "unprecedented" and "shocking", claiming that it violates both the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States.
In addition to this, she asked the party MPs to ensure attendance must be full and actively participate in Parliament.
