Today in Politics: All eyes on Parliament as Monsoon Session set to commence

Indian Express

2 days ago

The government on Sunday told an all-party meeting that it is ready to discuss all issues raised by the Opposition in the Monsoon session of Parliament, which will commence on Monday, while asserting that it will respond appropriately to demands for a response on US President Donald Trump's claims on Operation Sindoor.
At the customary meeting ahead of the session beginning Monday, the opposition raised various issues, including voter roll revision in Bihar, the Pahalgam terror attack and Trump's 'ceasefire' claims.
The government sought coordination with the opposition in the smooth running of the month-long session. There should be govt-opposition coordination in running Parliament smoothly, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told reporters after the meeting.
He said the government will respond appropriately in Parliament on opposition raising the issue of Trump's claims on Operation Sindoor.
The government, he emphasised, is open to discussing all issues in Parliament in line with rules and traditions and asserted that the government was very much open to discussing important issues like Operation Sindoor.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said his party sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on Trump's claims, 'lapses' which led to the Pahalgam attack and Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of poll rolls in Bihar.
The Monsoon Session of Parliament will also see the introduction of eight new bills by the central government.
The Income-Tax Bill, 2025 is the government's top priority and was presented to the Lok Sabha on February 13 during the Budget Session of Parliament.
TMC's Martyrs' Day rally
With an eye on the Assembly polls next year, the TMC is gearing up to turn its annual Martyrs' Day rally into a powerful platform to sharpen its Bengali pride narrative and hit out at the BJP over the alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking migrants.
Monday's rally in Kolkata's Esplanade is expected to see Trinamool Congress supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issue a clarion call to her party workers, reiterating her message that 'Bengalis are not second-class citizens in their own country'.
'Time and again, poor Bengali-speaking workers are being picked up, harassed, and branded as illegal infiltrators. The BJP is criminalising poverty and weaponising identity to harass the marginalised,' a senior TMC leader told PTI.
The TMC has accused the BJP of resorting to 'linguistic othering' and has sought to reignite the emotional chord of regional identity that helped it counter the BJP's Hindutva wave during the 2021 assembly polls. 'Dignity, identity, and survival are at stake. BJP is out to erase Bengali self-respect under the garb of nationalism. Our fight is not just electoral-it's existential,' said a TMC MP.
The BJP, on the other hand, has pushed back strongly. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his recent rally in Durgapur, accused the TMC of promoting infiltration and endangering national security for vote-bank politics.
'It is the BJP that truly protects Bengali 'ashmita',' Modi had said, as he projected the BJP as the only credible alternative in Bengal.
Ashim Ghosh to take oath as Haryana Governor
Haryana's Governor-designate Ashim Ghosh will take oath of office in a ceremony at the Raj Bhavan here on Monday. He will succeed Bandaru Dattatraya.
The new Governor will be administered the oath of office by the Punjab and Haryana High Court's Chief Justice Sheel Nagu. According to an official communique, the appointment will take effect from the date he assumes charge of office.
Once a towering yet soft-spoken presence in Bengal BJP's formative years, Ghosh (81), a scholar with a sharp political mind, has made a surprise return to national relevance, over two decades after retreating from the daily bustle of active politics.
'It's a matter of great honour for me, and I would try to perform my duties with utmost sincerity. I will work with dedication to serve the people of Haryana,' the 81-year-old had told reporters in Kolkata on July 14.
His elevation as governor is being seen as both an acknowledgement of his long political journey and a gesture of respect toward the older generation of BJP leaders who built the party's foundations in West Bengal, where it long remained marginal.
– With PTI inputs