New Delhi, July 17 (Representative) Ahead of the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament, a meeting of the Congress parliamentary strategy group was held here on Saturday, wherein discussion was held on a wide range of issues including the situation in Manipur.Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, Congress general secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh said, “Today the Parliamentary strategy group had its second meeting for about 90 minutes, and a number of issues that are the number of Bills that likely to come up from the government side and a number of issues that the Congress and other Opposition parties will raise, were discussed in some greater detail. The most important issue for us is the situation in Manipur. “Attacking the BJP, the MP said, “Prime Minister’s (Narendra Modi’s) continued silence, the Home Minister’s continued ineffectiveness, the complete failure of the state government, the complete divide that exists in Manipur society.” “We will certainly demand a discussion in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and would like the PM to take Parliament and the country into confidence on the current situation and the challenges that the country faces in Manipur,” he said.
The Congress has been blaming the BJP-led government for the current crisis in Manipur. The grand old party demanded dismissal of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.Referring to the Balasore train tragedy, the MP said, “The issue of rail safety, a lot of high-profile inaugurations take place, but basic issue of rail safety has got ignored and the latest reflection of that was the ghastly tragedy in Balasore.” “We don’t have opportunities for a discussion on Indian Railways because the rail budget has been discontinued. So, we would use this opportunity in this session to raise fundamental issues of rail safety, which have taken a back seat,” he said.The MP further said, “A third very important issue, is the continued assault on the federal structure, on democratically elected state governments and local bodies. “”The continued attack on the constitutional rights and responsibilities of state governments, of democratically elected state governments by the Modi government, by its appointees, its governors, and other posts.
This is an issue that the Congress has always fought against and will continue to raise its voice, both in Parliament and outside,” he said.Among others, the MP informed that the party will raise sky rocketing prices of essential commodities, and Adani issue.In response to a question, the MP said, “The Congress has always fought against the Modi government’s assaults on the constitutional rights and responsibilities of democratically elected state governments and local bodies. “He added, “This assault comes directly and this assault come from the appointees of the Modi government. Congress has opposed it. We have opposed it in Parliament, we will continue to oppose it. There is no question of not opposing it. This is a brazen assault on the constitution, and it takes various forms.” The Monsoon session of the Parliament will begin from July 20 and continue till August 11.