Parties ask MPs to withdraw from Parliament duties Budget session likely to end today Cong raises doubt on Covid-19 figures

The Budget Session of Parliament is likely to be concluded on Monday after passage of the Finance Bill in both Houses, sources said on Sunday.

The session, which was earlier scheduled to conclude on April 3, is now likely to be adjourned sine die on March 23, sources said.

The session is likely to be concluded almost 12 days before its scheduled winding up due to the looming threat of Covid19.

Meanwhile, in wake of the Covid-19 outbreak, the Nationalist Congress Party on Sunday asked its MPs not to go back to Delhi but assist government agencies in their local areas, helping citizens to fight Covid-19.

While the TMC on Sunday announced that it has given instructions to all its MPs to withdraw from parliament and return to their constituencies in view of the coronavirus scare.

TMC Rajya Sabha MP and leader of the party in the upper house, Derek O’Brien and Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Lok Sabha MP and leader of the party in the lower house, have written to presiding officers of both houses urging them to wind up proceedings on Monday March 23.

The TMC has 22 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 13 in the Rajya Sabha.

The letter said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has spoken about the urgent need for social distancing and the need to not assemble in large groups and that those above the age of 65 should take abundant care. Around 44 per cent MPs in Rajya Sabha and 22 per cent MPs in Lok Sabha are 65 years of age and above. It is not only about MPs but the thousands who enter the Parliament complex every day. This conflicting messaging is downright dangerous.”

The budget session of parliament is currently in progress and many MPs had returned to their respective constituencies during the weekend.

Last week, in the upper house, some members of the Trinamul Congress came with masks which was objected to by the presiding officer. Later, after intervention of other members, they were allowed to wear masks.

The Congress on Sunday questioned the government over the figures of

Covid-19. Party communications chief Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that figures of various government agencies are not matching. He tweeted, “Why are the Covid-19 outbreak cases of different government agencies not matching? Government of India Health Ministry says 324 as of 11.45 am while ICMR says 341 as of

10 am.” He further added,“Similarly, the number of

Covid-19 patients are being shown far less on government of India health ministry website! government of Haryana had announced six Covid19 cases on March 20th which rose to eight on March 21st. But, the government of India still refers to only three coronavirus positive cases in Haryana?”

Though the Congress is supporting all the moves by the government, it is still critical of the government for ‘late response’. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi called for immediate steps to revive the country’s economy amid Covid-19 pandemic.