The BJP has issued a line whip to all party MPs of Lok Sabha to be present in the house from September 18 to 22 for the Special Parliament Session to discuss "very important legislative business and support the government's stand." The Centre released the agenda for the session on September 13, listing the bill on the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners, among other issues.
"All BJP members in Lok Sabha are hereby informed that some very important Legislative Business will be taken up for discussion and passing in the Lok Sabha from Monday, the 18th September to Friday, the 22nd September 2023. All members of BJP in Lok Sabha are therefore requested to be positively present in the House throughout on all the five days i.e. from Monday, the 18th September to Friday the 22nd September 2023 and support the Government's stand," the whip read.
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Even as opposition leaders criticised the release of agenda at the last minute, saying it was "much ado about nothing", all the 24 INDIA bloc members will be attending the session. In a strongly-worded statement, senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi had listed issues ranging from unemployment to violence in Manipur, that the opposition parties want a discussion on during the session.
While speaking to reporters, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “We are not going to listen to Modi chalisa for five days…We hope that the opposition will also get an opportunity to raise their issues which are of concern to the people. Our demand would be that there should be discussion on those issues and with this sentiment we would participate in this special session."
