Parliament Winter Session To Begin Today; SIR Showdown Likely

The Winter Session of Parliament starts today, and it is expected to be a tense one. The government has lined up 14 Bills for the House to take up over the next two weeks, even as opposition parties prepare to raise a series of uncomfortable questions.

With only 15 sittings scheduled, this is one of the shortest winter sessions in recent years, a decision that has already drawn strong criticism from the Opposition.

Among the Bills the government plans to introduce are proposals linked to atomic energy, changes in the higher education system, and new taxes on tobacco and pan masala. But the Opposition says the session should begin with discussions on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the recent blast in Delhi that killed 15 people, arguing that national security and voter transparency cannot be ignored.

Parties like the Congress and the DMK allege that the government is trying to “sideline democracy” by reducing the duration of the session and pushing through major legislation without proper debate. They also plan to raise issues such as price rise, unemployment, air pollution, India’s foreign policy, and what they claim are delays in clearing Bills passed by state governments.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has said the government is ready to discuss anything “as per the rules”, but added that the final agenda will be decided by the Business Advisory Committee. He insisted that Parliament must be allowed to function smoothly.

Another topic likely to spark friction is the government’s proposal for a special discussion on Vande Mataram and the 150th anniversary of its composition. While the Trinamool Congress expressed support, most other Opposition parties were not keen during the all-party meeting. The Lok Sabha has set aside 10 hours for this discussion, with the date to be announced soon.

The ruling NDA, fresh off its victory in the Bihar Assembly elections, is expected to push ahead with its legislative plans and use the session to showcase its political strength.

Meanwhile, Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, met on Sunday night to finalise their strategy. Another round of discussions is scheduled before the session begins today.

The Winter Session will run until December 19, and though short, it promises heated exchanges and a packed political atmosphere inside Parliament.