The Congress on Tuesday responded to Prime Minister NarendraModi’s advice to the Opposition, saying his words were most of the time notimplemented by his own party leaders.
Stressing on the importance of an active opposition indemocracy, Modi on Monday told them not to bother about their numbers andinstead actively take part in the Lok Sabha’s proceedings.
Before taking oath as a member on the first day of the 17thLok Sabha, Modi said the role of an “opposition and an active oppositionis important in a parliamentary democracy”.
On Tuesday when former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh andCongress chief Rahul Gandhi along with a host of senior party leaders met atUPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s residence to discuss the party’s strategy inParliament during the Budget Session, Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary said: “If thePrime Minister’s message is delivered to his ministers or juniors then it willbe beneficial for all.
“What Prime Minister is preaching is most of the timenot being implemented by their party leaders.”
The Congress meeting was the first one ahead of the crucialsession and was attended also by Anand Sharma, Ghulam Nabi Azad, P.Chidambaram, Jairam Ramesh, K. Suresh and Chaudhary.
As the leaders were expected to discuss the party’s stand onissues like ‘one nation, one election’, and triple talaq besides its Leader inthe lower House, Chaudhary told the media: “Azadji briefed the partyleaders in context to what Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has said and that hasbeen conveyed to our CPP leader.”
He said Sonia Gandhi was apprised about the issues. Asked ifthe leader of Congress in Lok Sabha was discussed at the meeting, Chaudharysaid, “No, Leader of Congress was not discussed.”
To a question if the issues like one nation, one election,triple talaq was discussed, he said it will be dealt when it comes up inParliament.
On meeting with opposition leaders, he said,”Certainly… we have good relations with them so we will talk withthem.”
Speaking about Modi’s remarks over numbers in the lowerHouse, Chaudhary said, “It is the core essence of democracy. Democracy isnot determined by numbers, it is determined by opinions, discussions.”
He also said that the issue of the Leader of Congress in theHouse is important and Sonia Gandhi, who was made the Congress ParliamentaryParty leader for the second time, has also been given the task to select theleader of Congress in the Lok Sabha.
General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra though reached hermother’s residence just minutes after the key meeting ended.
Congress is the largest party in opposition, although itfell short of majority by two seats to get Leader of the Opposition post in theLok Sabha.
The source said that as the Congress is biggest oppositionin Lok Sabha big responsibility lies on the party to play a key role to providea strong opposition on the floor of the House.
On Monday, senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP AnandSharma had given a sense of party’s line — the government should end theordinance culture and respect parliamentary process, important bills should besent to Parliamentary Committees and then discussed in the house too, beforebeing passed as laws.