Government for full budget session, ready to discuss all issues: Pralhad Joshi

By Pragya Kaushika
New Delhi [India], December 15 (ANI): Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday said that the government is prepared for a debate on all issues and it would be appropriate to have a full-fledged budget session.
The minister said the government is of view that there should be no curtailing of the budget session. He said the government is willing to discuss the issues that the Congress and other opposition parties want to raise.
"The government is of opinion that a full-fledged budget session should be held and we will debate every issue you (Congress) want to debate in the house," Joshi told ANI.
The minister refuted Congress allegations that the government is running away from debate to evade questions on issues such as the farmers' protests.
"There is no question of running away from a debate. As far as calling the (winter) session is concerned we had a discussion. The decency demands that I should not take names who I have spoken to and those who suggested that due to COVID spurt we should have budget session directly," Joshi said.
The minister also said that he had a word with Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on doing away with the winter session.
"Probably he got the message from 10 Janpath or yuvraj to speak like this. Due to winters, COVID situation is serious. I would like to ask Congress a question. Did you not ask for curtailment of monsoon session?" he asked.
On Congress MP Jairam Ramesh's tweet, the minister asked the Congress leader to speak with 'G23' leaders.
"I want to tell Jairam Ramesh who has tweeted that leader of the opposition wasn't consulted before announcing that there would be no winter session to speak to G23 leaders. You should talk to each other. It's your internal matter that you don't speak to each other," Joshi said.
Jairam Ramesh had tweeted that the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha was not consulted and alleged that Joshi was "departing from the truth." (ANI)