Average number of Parliament sittings dropped: TMC's Derek O'Brien
New Delhi (PTI): The average number of sittings of Parliament per session has dropped to 17 days with the dates of the Winter Session announced on Saturday, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O'Brien said.
The Winter Session of Parliament would be held from December 1 to 19, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced on Saturday.
O'Brien, TMC's leader in the Rajya Sabha, claimed that the BJP-led Centre suffers from "Parliament-ophobia" and accused it of running away from a debate on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls during the Monsoon Session. He also said a longer session would have meant the opposition demanding discussions on issues like unemployment and "throttling federalism".
"The House will actually just sit for 15 days," O'Brien said in a blogpost.
He said during the first Lok Sabha (1952), the average number of sittings per session of Parliament was 45 days. In the second and third Lok Sabhas, the average was 36 days.
During the ninth Lok Sabha (1989-1991), which lasted for only 15 months, this number came down to 14 days.
"Since 1991, the average days per Parliament session has always remained above twenty," he said.
During the 10th Lok Sabha (1991-1996) Parliament sat for an average of 26 days. In subsequent Lok Sabhas, the average number of days was 21, 25 and 22, O'Brien said.
"When the Narendra Modi government came to power in 2014, this number dropped below 20 days. During the 16th Lok Sabha (2014-2019), the average days per session was 19. During the 17th Lok Sabha (2019-2024), it was 18 days," he added.
"After today's announcement, it has dropped to an abysmal 17 days," the TMC leader said, claiming that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) suffers from "Parliament-ophobia".
"The reason for this government's Parliament-ophobia is obvious. The creaky coalition led by PM Narendra Modi shied away from a discussion on SIR (Silent Invisible Rigging) during the entire Monsoon Session of Parliament.
"A longer Winter Session would have made them even more uncomfortable when the Opposition demands discussions on unemployment and throttling federalism," he said.
"There is another reason why this skittish coalition wants a truncated session of Parliament, starting only in December," O'Brien said.
"It is Constitution Day on 26 November. It would have been a perfect occasion for a meaningful debate on upholding the values of the Constitution of India. But then, who cares about Parliament?" he added.
In a post on X earlier in the day, the TMC leader said, "Parliament-ophobia. PM Narendra Modi and team continue to suffer from the acute condition called Parliament-ophobia, a morbid fear of facing Parliament."
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National Herald case: Shivakumar to seek time next week to appear before Delhi police
New Delhi/Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday said he will ask for time from Delhi police to appear before them next week, to provide required information as part of the probe into the National Herald case.
He said he will seek time after the ongoing winter session of Karnataka legislature ends on December 19. He will also ask the Delhi police to provide him the FIR copy.
Shivakumar, who is in the national capital, had earlier said that he will appear before the Delhi police on Monday. But, he postponed the plan in order to rush back to Karnataka to participate in the last rites of veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa, scheduled later in the day in Davangere.
"I had to go (to appear before the Delhi police), but I have to go back urgently. I'm asking them for time, stating that I will come next week," Shivakumar told reporters in New Delhi.
"They (Delhi police) have not attached the FIR copy while issuing notice to me. I need FIR copy, because we had already given all the required replies to the ED. I don't know what the FIR says, I only read in papers. They have given notice, I will ask for a FIR copy. I will come next week after the Assembly session."
The Delhi Police had issued a notice to Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress chief, seeking financial and transactional details as part of its probe into the National Herald case.
The notice issued by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) states that Shivakumar is "supposed to be having vital information" pertaining to the National Herald case registered on October 3 this year, against top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
In the notice dated November 29, the EOW had asked Shivakumar to appear before it or provide the requested information by December 19 latest.
Investigators have sought details about his personal background, his association with the Congress party, and a complete break up of funds allegedly transferred by him or associated entities to Young Indian.
To a question on meeting AICC General Secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, amid the ongoing power tussle between him and CM Siddaramaiah over the Chief Minister post, Shivakumar said when he comes to Delhi, he usually meets every one.
"Whether it is Surjewala or Kharge (AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge) or Venugopal, I will meet everyone. During lunch yesterday I met Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. I have met everyone. What's wrong?" he asked.
Shivakumar was in Delhi to take part in Congress' "Vote Chori" rally on Sunday, and had also participated in the lunch organised by the party for its leaders.
Responding to a question, whether any meeting is planned with leaders today, the Deputy CM said, he and Kharge will be travelling together to Karnataka, to pay last respects to Shamanuru Shivashankarappa.
Asked if he will seek time for a separate meeting with Congress leadership including Rahul Gandhi, during the next visit to Delhi, Sivakumar said, "such things will be there between us in the party.... you don't worry."
