Govt plans to introduce 16 bills, Congress to seek discussion on border issue with China as Parliament session begins tomorrow

New Delhi, December 6

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The results of the assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh are likely to play out during the Winter session of Parliament beginning Wednesday.

The government plans to introduce 16 bills during 17 sittings in the session, while the Congress will seek to corner the government over a host of issues, including the situation on the border with China.

A day after the session starts, votes for the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly polls will be counted. The outcome is likely to have a bearing on the proceedings whichever way the verdict goes as parties may use the verdict to corner rivals.

Exit polls had on Monday predicted a big majority for the BJP in Gujarat and a dead heat in Himachal Pradesh where most pollsters gave an edge to the ruling party over the Congress.

The Winter session is also likely to be the last session to be held in the existing Parliament House.

Outlining the issues that the Congress will raise, party general secretary Jairam Ramesh had said last week that the party would raise matters relating to the economic situation in the country, “weakening” of constitutional institutions and reservation for the economically weaker sections (EWS).

“There is tension between India and China for the last 22 months and there has been no discussion in Parliament on the issue. The Congress would want that the issue be discussed in Parliament,” he said.

The Congress leader had also said that if the government is ready for a discussion, the party would extend constructive support to it. “But our experience in the past has been that there is no discussion and the government wants their issues to be discussed only. But, this is not possible.”

“The Opposition must have its say and the government will have its way,” he said, citing an old saying.

The Congress will also raise the issue of high inflation and price rise, falling value of the rupee, falling exports and high Goods and Services Tax rates.

Out of the 17 bills that the government has listed for consideration in the session, the Congress said it is opposed to three bills — the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021, Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022, and the forest conservation amendment bill, 2022.

“We want these bills to be sent to standing committees. There is a need for more discussion on these bills and the Congress cannot support them in their current form,” he had said.

Rahul Gandhi is unlikely to attend the session in view of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Among the 16 new bills the government plans to introduce is one which seeks to increase accountability and reform electoral process in multi-state cooperative societies.