Kharge’s planned discussion comes amid a disagreement between the Congress and the government over consultations on proposed constitutional amendments related to delimitation. The Congress has called for an all-party meeting before the government introduces the proposed legislation in Parliament.
On Tuesday, Kharge told reporters that he had personally written to Prime Minister Modi and that two of his letters had reached the Prime Minister. He clarified that he did not want to discuss politics on Tuesday and would present his views on all three issues in detail on October 21.
According to Kharge, his concerns include the potential harm caused by the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, the possible consequences of the delimitation process and the delay in implementing women’s reservation.
His remarks came when he was asked to respond to a letter from Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. On October 16, Kharge had written to the Prime Minister demanding an all-party meeting before the introduction of the proposed constitutional amendment bill related to delimitation in Parliament. The Congress maintains that all political parties should be consulted before the government moves forward on such an important matter.
Rijiju Accuses Congress of Failing to Cooperate
In his response to Kharge’s letter, Kiren Rijiju said the government had sought the Congress’s cooperation on the proposed legislation through written communications in March and April.
Rijiju claimed that the government had also initiated discussions on the issue during conversations with Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. However, he alleged that the Congress did not provide a date for a meeting, preventing the discussions from progressing despite repeated requests.
According to Rijiju, the government subsequently had to consult other political parties, including the DMK, Samajwadi Party, YSRCP, NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT), AIMIM and BJD.
Rijiju also rejected questions raised over the decision not to prorogue Parliament after the Monsoon Session was adjourned sine die on August 13. He clarified that the Constitution does not prescribe a fixed time limit for proroguing a parliamentary session.
The Union minister urged the Congress to extend constructive cooperation and refrain from obstructing the process of passing important legislation.
SIR, Delimitation and Women’s Reservation in Focus
Political attention is now focused on the issues Kharge plans to raise with Prime Minister Modi on October 21. The proposed discussion is significant amid differences between the Congress and the government over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, the delimitation process and the implementation of women’s reservation.
The meeting is expected to provide an opportunity for Kharge to communicate the Congress’s concerns directly to the Prime Minister, following the exchange of letters and the dispute over consultations on the proposed delimitation-related legislation.
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