Congress President Sonia Gandhi, accompanied by her son Rahul Gandhi, returned to India on Tuesday morning after undergoing a routine medical check-up in the United States, people familiar with the development said.
The two had left for the United States on September 12.
They both missed a significant part of the monsoon session of Parliament that began on September 14. The session is likely to be shortened in view of the increasing number of cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the country with several members of Parliament (Deputies) and Parliament staff testing positive.
Confirming their return, an aide to Rahul Gandhi said the two leaders arrived in Delhi around 7 am on Tuesday.
Also read: Opposition to boycott Rajya Sabha until deputies suspension is revoked
“President of Congress, Smt. Sonia Gandhi travels forward today for a routine follow-up and medical check-up, which was postponed due to the pandemic. She is accompanied by Sh. Rahul Gandhi. We take this opportunity to thank everyone for their concern and good wishes, ”the party’s chief spokesman, Randeep Singh Surjewala, tweeted on 12 September.
Before leaving, Sonia Gandhi had carried out important organizational changes, reconstituted the Congressional Working Committee (CWC) and its team of officials, and also formed a special panel to assist her on organizational and operational matters until the next session of the Congress of all of India. Committee (AICC), to be held within six months.
In addition to Surjewala, the committee is made up of AK Antony, Ahmed Patel, Ambika Soni, KC Venugopal and Mukul Wasnik.
He had also chaired a meeting of the party parliament strategy group.
Also read: Rajya Sabha deputies suspended in a sit-in in front of Parliament reject the vice president’s tea
At the meeting it was decided that Congress will raise the issues of the border confrontation between India and China, the situation of Covid-19 throughout the country, the impact of the blockades, the current state of the economy, the decline in GDP, compensation of the GST for states, loss of jobs, agrarian unrest and restoration of question time during the session. The party had also decided to oppose the three agricultural laws.
The two agricultural bills, the Farmers Agreement (Empowerment and Protection) on Price Guarantee and Agricultural Services, 2020 and the Bill on Trade and Trade in Agricultural Products (Promotion and Facilitation), 2020 – were approved by oral vote. in Parliament on Sunday even as the opposition protested and stormed the well of the House seeking to have them sent to a select committee.
The uproar resulted in the suspension of eight lawmakers: Rajeev Satav, Syed Nasir Hussain and Ripun Bora from Congress, Derek O’Brien and Dola Sen from the Trinamool Congress, KK Ragesh and Elamaram Kareem from the CPI (M) and Sanjay Singh from the Party. Aam Aadmi (AAP).
On Tuesday, Parliament also passed the Essential Commodities Bill (Amendment) after the opposition went on strike and decided to boycott the entire session until the suspension of the eight deputies was revoked.
And beginning September 24, Congress will take to the streets across the country against the government for passing bills “against farmers and against the poor” in Parliament.
The party will also launch a campaign to collect two million signatures from farmers protesting the proposed legislation.
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