Winter Session of Parliament 2021: Congress issues three-line whip to party MPs to attend Day 1 in both Houses

KEY STORY 

• The Indian National Congress on Friday issued a three-line whip to its part MPs asking them to be in attendance when both Houses of the Parliament commence the Winter Session from November 29.

• The development comes in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement on November 19 that the Centre will repeal the three new contentious farm laws in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament.

• The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 is already listed for introduction and passage, which seeks to repeal the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance, Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

• “Some very important issues will be taken up for discussion in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, November 29, 2021. All members of the Congress party in the Rajya Sabha are requested to kindly remain present in the house from 11 AM onwards till the adjournment of the house on Monday, November 29, 2021 without fail and support the party stand,” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told party members of Rajya Sabha in an official letter.

• A similar whip was issued by K Suresh to Congress MPs of Lok Sabha.

• Senior party member and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge summoned a meeting of all Opposition parties on November 29, sources informed news agency ANI.

• The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had earlier issued a three-line whip to their Rajya Sabha MPs, directing them to be present in the House on the first day of the Session.

• The BJP-led NDA government at the Centre plans to introduce 26 new Bills in the upcoming Parliament session, adding that the bill to repeal the three farm laws will be taken up on priority.

• The Bill was cleared by the Union Cabinet earlier this week.