Parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi on Wednesday attacked
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi for asking about the agenda of the special session of Parliament, saying she was “politicising the work of Parliament”.

A special session is to be held from September 18 to 22 but the Narendra Modi government has not thought it fit to share its agenda with the members of Parliament.

Sonia on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi listing the Opposition’s agenda since the government was yet to declare its agenda for the session.

“It is deeply unfortunate that the work of our Parliament is being politicized,” Joshi wrote back to Sonia.

Joshi claimed that the special session had been called “following laid down rules and regulations” and that “consultations with other political parties are never done before calling a session”.

He said the issues raised by Sonia had already been discussed during the debate over the no-confidence motion during the monsoon session.

Joshi said the agenda for the special session would be announced at the “right
time”.

Responding to Joshi, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh asked how much the government would mislead the nation.

“On each and every occasion of a Special Session/Sitting, the agenda was well known in advance. It is only the Modi government that routinely disrespects Parliament and distorts Parliamentary conventions. Past governments, including yours, have called many Special Sittings to commemorate the Constitution Day, Quit India Movement and other such occasions,” he said.

Ramesh gave a list of past instances in support of this claim:

■ 30 June, 2017 — A Joint Special Session in the Central Hall at midnight to roll out the GST.

■ A Special Session of Lok Sabha was called in July 2008 for a trust vote after
the Left parties withdrew support from the UPA-1 government.

■ A Special Session was called from 26 August, 1997 to 1 September, 1997 to commemorate 50th anniversary of Indian Independence.

Earlier, there were two instances where the Upper House met for a Special Session when the Lok Sabha was under dissolution:-

■ Special Session (158th Session) was held for two days starting on June 3, 1991 for approval of the President’s Rule in Haryana, under the proviso to Article 356(3).

■ Special Session of Rajya Sabha was held in February 1977 for two days for the extension of the President’s Rule in Tamil Nadu and Nagaland under the second proviso to Article 356(4).

Ramesh also listed special sittings, for which too the government had announced the agenda:

■ Special Sitting in Central Hall forenoon on 26 November, 2019 commemorating 70th anniversary of Constitution amidst then ongoing winter session.

■ 9 August, 2017 — Special Sitting to commemorate 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement, amidst ongoing Monsoon session.

■ 26 and 27 November, 2015 — Special Sitting to commemorate Constitution Day.

■ 13 May 2012 — Special Sitting to commemorate 60th anniversary of first sittings of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha — during the then ongoing budget session.