No agenda for Parl session, discuss nine issues raised by oppn: Sonia to PM

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pointing out that no agenda has been listed for the special Parliament session and raising nine issues, including violence in Manipur, for discussion. The issues listed by Gandhi included Centre-state relations, rise in cases of communal tension and border transgressions by China. ''I must point out that this special session has been convened without any consultation with other political parties. None of us have any idea of its agenda. All we have been communicated is that all five days have been allocated for government business,'' Gandhi said in her letter.

''I earnestly hope that in a spirit of constructive cooperation, these issues will be taken up in the forthcoming special session,'' she said.

Addressing the media at the AICC headquarters, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said this is the first time that no agenda has been discussed or listed in the business of the House.

''We want that the upcoming session is constructive and this was decided at the meeting of the strategy group and during the meeting of INDIA parties,'' Ramesh said.

''If there is no 'shehnai' of democracy in the mother of democracy, then what kind of democracy is this,'' Ramesh asked.

He said the rules under which the discussion can take place can be discussed mutually. Ramesh also alleged that the prime minister is in ''panic'' and ''tired''. The special session of Parliament will be held from September 18 to 22.