Last Updated:
The TMC has indicated that its leaders may not attend the opposition strategy meeting with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday morning, said sources
Congress’s Rahul Gandhi and TMC’s Mamata Banerjee. (PTI File)
On the eve of the winter session, which is set to begin from Monday, the Opposition seemed divided on the Vande Mataram row.
In the Lok Sabha business advisory committee meeting, the Congress opposed a discussion on Vande Mataram, even as the Trinamool Congress (TMC) readily agreed, said sources.
The TMC also indicated that its leaders would not attend the opposition strategy meeting with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday morning, said sources.
Meanwhile, there was a war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress in the Lok Sabha business advisory meeting. The Congress questioned why the Vande Mataram discussion was being held right now, terming it as a diversionary tactic given that they did not want to discuss electoral reforms and Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The BJP replied that Congress, which is the grand old party, should have known that the country has just marked the 150th celebration of Vande Mataram and therefore it should be discussed in this session, added sources.
ALSO READ | FIR Vs SIR In Winter Session: Action Against Sonia, Rahul Gandhi Heralds Fresh Trouble For Congress
What is the Vande Mataram row?
The government recently re-issued a memorandum reminding the MPs for the upcoming parliamentary session that decorum should be maintained and some dos and don’ts have to be followed. As per the parliament bulletin on rules, “(3) The decorum and the seriousness of the proceedings of the House require that there should be no ‘Thanks’, ‘Thank You’, ‘Jai Hind’, ‘Bande Mataram’ or any other slogans raised in the House.”
The Opposition quickly reacted to it. West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee asked why the government had an objection to Vande Mataram. The Congress, too, attacked the government.
The government is likely to remove it from the banned list, but will also point out that the slogan was first inserted in the rules of dos and don’ts in 2012 by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and when the VP and Rajya Sabha chairman was Hamid Ansari, and that the TMC was part of the UPA also.
Bills which may be taken up
The bills proposed to be taken up by the government are The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025; The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025; The Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2025 – To replace an Ordinance; The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2025; The National Highways (Amendment) Bill, 2025; The Atomic Energy Bill, 2025; The Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025; The Securities Markets Code Bill (SMC), 2025; The Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025; The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2025; The Higher Education Commission of India Bill, 2025; The Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025; The Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025.
The financial business will include presentation, discussion and voting on the First Batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants for the year 2025-26 and introduction, consideration and passing/return of the related Appropriation Bill.
As of now, 10 hours have been allocated for a discussion on the Vande Mataram issue, which will be taken up this week or next, depending on the Speaker’s decision. While four hours have been allocated for the central excise bill, another four hours have been granted for supplementary demands. Health cess bill has been given six hours.
What happened at Rajya Sabha business advisory committee meet
In the meeting, the opposition parties demanded a discussion on Special Intensive Revision. In fact, opposition leaders said that the government can start a discussion at 2 pm on Monday, even if they wish to call it electoral reforms instead of SIR.
Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju had asked opposition leaders to come up with three or four topics they wanted to discuss in the all-party meeting. Rijiju said the opposition wanted discussions on climate, change and pollution, national security in the wake of the recent Delhi blast, among other issues. He also urged the opposition parties to participate in the discussion on Vande Mataram, which is beyond political and ideological lines.
Opposition leaders have told him that their demand for a short-term discussion on either SIR or other matters must also be accepted. But the Congress and TMC said that if the SIR issue was discussed, even if under the garb of electoral reforms, they would let the House function smoothly throughout the session, said sources.
November 30, 2025, 18:47 IST
Read More
