Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 30: Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Sunday described the all-party meeting convened by the Centre ahead of Parliament’s Winter Session as a “mere formality,” accusing the Narendra Modi government of revealing its intentions by scheduling a short-duration discussion without consulting the Opposition.

The meeting, held a day before the Winter Session begins on Monday, saw Opposition leaders raise concerns over electoral roll revisions, the recent Delhi blast, unemployment, inflation, federalism, and law-and-order issues in multiple states. The government called the meeting to ensure the smooth functioning of both Houses during the session.

This year’s Winter Session is set for only 15 sittings, significantly shorter than the usual 20, making it one of the briefest sessions in recent years. During this period, the Centre plans to introduce 13 legislative bills and one financial bill.

In a post on X, Ramesh wrote, “The all-party meeting called by the Modi Govt to discuss the agenda for the winter session of Parliament starting tomorrow is a mere formality.” He highlighted that ten of the 13 bills have not been examined by the relevant Standing Committees, while one bill replaces an ordinance and two have gone through a Lok Sabha committee.

Ramesh added, “The Modi Govt has made its intentions clear by listing a subject for a short-duration discussion WITHOUT any consultation with the Opposition.”

The remarks come amid rising Opposition frustration over the unilateral scheduling of the short-duration discussion, reflecting concerns over reduced parliamentary scrutiny and low productivity, similar to issues seen during the monsoon session over the Special Intensive Review (SIR) processes in Bihar.