After much hue and cry by the Opposition mainly Congress for convening special session of the Parliament to take on affront the Modi government on many issues, the Government, at last, has called the winter session of Parliament. A brief session from 15 December to 5 January was announced by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar last Friday. This should obviate the need for the Congress leaders to petition President Ramnath Kovind to direct the Government to summon Parliament. Now that the session has been called, we will await Rahul Gandhi and other great parliamentarians to unspool their debating talents in the House.
Had the Congress leaders bothered to google the schedules of the previous winter sessions, they would have learnt that they too had likewise delayed the summoning of Parliament to the third or fourth week of December at least on two occasions.
In the present case, clearly the Government was keen not to have Parliament in session till after the end of the polling in Gujarat which ends on 14 December. The winter session is set to begin the next day.
This in a way makes sense. Though they create bedlam anyway, but in the midst of an election the incentive to behave recklessly while the proceedings are being telecast live is all the greater. Now, when the House meets at the end of the polling, there will be lesser need for acrimony, for grandstanding, etc.
Let us hope the politicos are capable of behaving themselves as grown-ups and not as trouble-makers when Parliament meets for the winter session. We have our doubts, though.
