NEW DELHI: Amidst finger pointing at each other by the government and the opposition over the washed out budget session of parliament, Congress Rajya Sabha member Jairam Ramesh has urged chairman Venkaiah Naidu to hold a special two-week parliament session in May-June to pass key bills and debate burning issues.
“Why don’t you persuade the government to convene a special two-week session in late May or early June to pass important legislation and also have a debate on burning political, economic and social issues,” Ramesh said in his letter to Naidu dated April 6.
He, however, made it clear that his suggestion was 'purely in my personal capacity'.
A copy of the letter was released to the media on Saturday.
Noting he was making a personal suggestion, Ramesh said all members of the house shared the anguish expressed by Naidu on Friday over the washed out budget session.
Appreciating Naidu’s reference to the washed out session as a collective failure, the Congress leader reminded him that it was the responsibility of the government to communicate and engage in meaningful and serious dialogue with all political parties to ensure smooth functioning of parliament.
“That was very much in absence in recent weeks. In fact, it has been absent all through the past four years,” Ramesh said.
The Congress-led opposition blamed the government for the washed out session saying it was not ready to debate burning issues like PNB fraud, CBSE paper leak and SC/ST law, Cauvery board and special status for Andhra Pradesh and take up the various no-confidence motions while the government blamed the opposition for disruptions.
The Congress leader said though the monsoon session of parliament would be due in mid-July, a special session sends a different signal altogether.
“I'm aware that the Monsoon Session will be called sometime in mid-July but a special session sends a different signal. There is no doubt that the complete washout has inflicted great damage to Parliament as an institution," he said,” said Ramesh.
He expressed the hope that Naidu would discuss the issue with all political parties to ensure that a wash out was not repeated again, however agitated the members may be on issues concerning their state or relating to the country.
The second part of the Budget Session of Parliament was washed out after differences between the government and the opposition while discussing key issues.
Both the opposition and the government have blamed each other for the washout and are holding day-long fasts across the country as a mark of protest.
(With inputs from PTI)
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