The opposition Congress has expressed apprehension that the budget session of Puducherry Assembly scheduled to begin on March 12 would last a few days only which would deprive them of their rights to raise 'several issues of public importance'.
Opposition leader V.Vaithilingam said the seven-member congress bloc had in the last monsoon session (held for a day on December 30 last year) staged an agitation on the floor of the House seeking the Speaker's intervention to offer longer opportunity for the opposition to discuss the issues relating to various sections of people.
The Speaker had promised the opposition before adjourning the session then that he would ensure commencement of the session in January. "'We gave up our agitation then on the basis of this assurance," Vaithilingam said and added that now the session had been scheduled for March 12.
"By the time the session begins the notification relating to Lok Sabha polls would be announced and bring in its wake the model code of conduct. The session would thus be for a limited days and opposition would have no opportunity to discuss any of the issues of public importance," he said.
"Congress would face the necessity to revive its stir inside the House," he added.
He also took strong exception to artificial scarcity created in availability of milk as the government was purchasing mill from outside Union Territory at a higher price. There were 'several irregularities and corrupt practices' in procurement of milk from outside Puducherry, he alleged.
