A demand for holding a debate on demonetisation in the Lok Sabha during the upcoming Budget Session of Parliament starting tomorrow was put forth by various parties and a call on it would be taken in the Business Advisory Committee.
The demand was raised by leaders of various parties at a meeting convened by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, who said a call on the issue would be taken up but noted that there is paucity of time for discussion as the first part of the session is very short.
After the meeting, the Speaker hosted a dinner for representatives of various parties who attended the meeting which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Today's all-party meeting was held in a very good atmosphere. This is a very short session and all have called for a debate on demonetisation and some other issues. Everyone has agreed that there are only 19 hours left for discussion and it was decided that we can sit longer and increase the hours for discussion to 25 hours," she told reporters after the meeting.
Besides the Speaker, deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and leaders of TDP, TRS, BJD and RJD were also present among others.
Asked about TMC's absence, Mahajan said they were to come late but were not there at the meeting. She said party leaders have been in touch with her and had informed about their absence from the House initially during the Budget session due to Saraswati pooja, which was celebrated big in the state.
"They have assured me of their cooperation. I feel the upcoming session will be good," she said.
She, however, was non-committal on holding a discussion on note ban.
Kharge told reporters that the Congress has raised a demand for holding discussion on five issues - demonetisation, the President's address, the Union budget, increased terrorist activities and ceasefire violations and weakening of institutions like RBI, CBI, Niti Ayog and NIA.
"There are many issues. But the demonetisation issue is very important and we certainly want a discussion on it. We will raise our demand in the business advisory committee also," he said.
Meanwhile, Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) will hold a strategy meet tomorrow morning in Parliament that is likely to be chaired by Congress President Sonia Gandhi, where the party will finalise its plans for upcoming budget session.
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