HYDERABAD: The Congress on Saturday demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to introduce the Women Reservation Bill in the ensuing special session of Parliament, during its working committee meeting in Hyderabad.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party’s highest decision-making body, which met on an eventful note for the first time after its rejig at a star hotel here, also rejected the One Nation One Election (ONOE), which it said was a brazen attack on the federal structure of the country and reiterated party’s resolve to make the I.N.D.I.A. initiative an ideological and electoral success so that the country is freed from divisive and polarising politics.

The CWC, attended by the top brass from President Mallikarjun Kharge to former presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, besides star campaigner of the party Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, debated on as many as 14 resolutions, covering a wide range of issues concerning the country, including increasing unemployment, farmers’ distress, divisive and discriminatory policies of Modi government posing threat to communal harmony.

Referring to the special Parliament session, the Congress expressed dismay over Parliamentary debate and scrutiny all but disappearing under Modi and thanked its former chief Sonia Gandhi for dashing off a letter, demanding a debate on nine issues of public concern. Amid the guesswork on the real agenda of the special session, the principal Opposition wanted the contentious Women Reservation Bill to be passed. “It (BJP) wants a Parliament without Opposition,” it remarked.

The CWC expressed its “deep anguish on the total breakdown of the Constitutional machinery in Manipur and the continuing violence” and condemned the Prime Minister’s clean chit to China despite its deep incursions into the country and “his continued refusal to admit the loss of territory belittling the sacrifices of our jawans.”

The leaders were extended a warm welcome by the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee, headed by president A. Revanth Reddy. The event started with the customary flag hoisting arranged by the seva dal workers and a rendition of the National Anthem on the lawns of the hotel. The meeting, held behind closed doors, will continue on Sunday and will culminate with ‘Vijaya Bheri’, a massive public meeting on the city outskirts where the party will come up with the six guarantees, a declaration specific to Telangana, which will go for polls in a few months.

In his opening remarks, party national president Mallikarjun Kharge made a scathing attack against what the party described as the overall failure of the Modi government, be it on the economic front, protecting the country from external aggressions and providing relief during natural calamities. While the country has been facing serious internal challenges, the BJP is adding fuel to the fire and flaring up violence, as in the case of Manipur and Haryana, and tarnishing the image of progressive and secular India, he said.

Kharge took potshots at Modi’s slogans “Atma-nirbhar Bharat”, “5 Trillion Economy”, “New India 2022” and “Amritkaal”, all of which, he said, are coined to deflect and divert attention from real issues. On the other hand, the I.N.D.I.A with 27 parties standing together on fundamental issues of importance, has been forging ahead, after three successful meetings, to combat anti-people and anti-democratic BJP-led NDA government.