Parliament session curtailed because PM was busy in elections: Congress

On the last day of the Budget Session of Parliament, the Congress party claimed that it was against the curtailment of this session and it was because of Prime Minister's election campaigning that it ended two weeks prior.

New Delhi: The Congress Party, on the last day of the budget session claimed that it was against the curtailment of this session. The Party leaders blamed the Prime Minister for the early end and said that if not for his election campaign the session would not have ended this early.

While addressing a press conference, Congress' Rajya Sabha MP and former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said, "As per the schedule, this session was supposed to be concluded on April 8. Congress party was not in favour of curtailment of Parliament Session. But the Prime Minister, Home Minister and other senior leaders of this Government are busy in election campaigning. They want to go to the poll-bound states. Therefore, they adjourned this session two weeks prior."

He added, "Secondly, these days of the Second Phase of the Budget session got wasted because the Government was not ready to have a discussion on the issues which we were raising, including farm laws and fuel price hike."

The senior Congress leader slammed the Government, saying, "Every bill that was passed in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha will be challenged in Supreme Court. There is no doubt about it. I, personally, going to challenge Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill. There is no doubt about it."

"Passage of bills like this is against the principles of democracy. We strongly condemn the Government for ignoring the role of Parliamentary Committees," he asserted.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that Congress wanted to raise many issues including the withdrawal of three farm laws, price hike of petrol and diesel, but they were not allowed to do so. He said that the BJP behaved like any party with a brute majority would behave.

He even made a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that Jawaharlal Nehru used to sit in Parliament to listen to everyone's requests, while PM Modi is busy in his election rallies.

"The Prime Minister came on the last day in a routine course to attend the National Anthem. When we call Parliament, it is to address the problems of people and to find a solution for them. Otherwise, there is no point in calling a Parliament session," he said.

Congress whip in Lok Sabha Ravneet Bittu alleged that while the Britishers looted our country, this Government is on a mission to "sell everything" that is left over, to their "friends".