New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha leader of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Derek O’Brien attacked the government, claiming that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is suffering from “Parliament-ophobia”.
“PM @narendramodi and team continue to suffer from the acute condition called Parliament-ophobia, a morbid fear of facing Parliament. 15-day Winter Session announced. Setting dubious records,” the Rajya Sabha leader of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) wrote on X hours after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced the dates for the winter session of the Parliament.
Rijiju said the Winter Session of Parliament would be held from December 1 to 19.
In 2024, the Winter Session of Parliament was held from November 25 to December 20, 2024, with 19 sittings spread over a period of 26 days.
In 2023, the Winter Session of Parliament lasted for 18 days between December 4 to December 21, with 14 sittings.
Earlier on June 6 this year, O’Brien wrote an article on the same topic, criticising the government. “This week, leaders from 17 political parties wrote to the Prime Minister urging him to call a special session of Parliament in June. Within hours of doing so, a skittish government hurriedly announced the dates for a regular monsoon session starting July 21, seemingly turning down the demand for a special session. Normally, the lead time to announce a Parliament session (the number of days between announcement and commencement) has been around 20 days or less. The upcoming monsoon session has been announced 47 days in advance!,” he wrote on his website.
“At the time of going to press, another 250 MPs from the Opposition are endorsing the letter already dispatched by their party leaders to the Prime Minister. The demand for a special session was first raised by Kapil Sibal, eminent jurist and Independent MP, three days after the tragedy in Pahalgam. Opposition parties took the cue from there,” he added.
