The Congress party expressed scepticism on Tuesday regarding the allocation of the Parliamentary Affairs portfolio, suggesting it signals no intention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to change the functioning of Parliament from the past decade.
The opposition party said that the INDIA bloc was determined to effectively represent the will and mandate of the people in both Houses of Parliament.
Kiren Rijiju has been appointed as the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, with Arjun Ram Meghwal designated as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
In a statement posted on X, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh remarked, “The allocation of the Parliamentary Affairs portfolios inspires no confidence whatsoever that the ‘one-third’ Pradhan Mantri wants Parliament to function any differently than the manner in which he has run it over the past decade.”
“However, whatever be the ‘divine’ signals, the INDIA Janbandhan is more than determined to reflect the will and mandate of the people in both Houses of Parliament most effectively,” he added.
The opposition INDIA bloc, which has gained strength in the recent election with 235 members in the Lok Sabha, intends to challenge the government on various issues affecting the people, including price rise and unemployment.