US To Bihar, Opposition Ready With Laundry List As Monsoon Session Begins
Parliament is set for a stormy monsoon session, with the Opposition, spearheaded by the Congress, ready to corner the government on multiple issues, ranging from Pahalgam attack to electoral rolls in Bihar.
Here are the top 10 points from this big story:
The Congress has said it would seek reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the lack of security that enabled terrorists to attack tourists with impunity in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.
The party will also seek response to US President Donald Trump's claims about mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, Congress's communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh has posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Also, "Our senior army officers have raised a very sensitive issue about the two-front axis that has been formed on our border with China, Pakistan and Bangladesh. So it is very important that we talk about defence and foreign policy," said Congress's Gaurav Gogoi after an all-party meeting ahead of the monsoon session.
The party will also seek discussion on restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, Schedule VI status for Ladakh, and the situation in Manipur.
At the all-party meeting, attended by representatives from 51 political parties, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju appealed for cooperation to ensure smooth functioning of parliament.
Rajya Sabha chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has also called for cooperation among political parties and highlighted the need for mutual respect.
The government has a packed schedule, with multiple bills listed for discussion and passage. Eight new bills will be introduced and eight pending bills will be taken up for discussion.
The key bills will include the Income-Tax Bill, introduced during the Budget Session in February. The bill and its amendments, adopted by the select committee, will be sent for passage after cabinet approval.
Another key bill that would be taken up is the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, which seeks to promote ease of doing business and improve regulatory compliance.
The Monsoon Session will continue till August 21, with a break from August 12 to August 18. There will be 21 sittings across 32 days.
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