New Delhi/IBNS:  Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi Wednesday mocked Sonia Gandhi's nine-point letter on the special session of Parliament and said the former Congress chief is perhaps "not aware of traditions", asserting that the government discusses the agenda with the Opposition only after the session begins.

In a letter to Modi, Sonia Gandhi alleged that 'a special session had been called without any prior discussion with other opposition parties'.

"You have convened a special five-day session of the Parliament beginning September 18, 2023. I must point out that this special session has been convened without any consultation with other political parties. None of us have any idea of its agenda," she wrote.

The former Congress President added that "all we have been communicated is that all five days have been allocated for government business."

Sonia Gandhi said, "We most certainly want to participate in the Special Session because it will give us an opportunity to raise matters of public concern and importance".

She mentioned the nine topics in the letter for discussion, including price rise, caste census, and JPC over Adani issues, and expressed hope that 'time will be allocated under the appropriate rules for a discussion and debate on these issues'.

A special session of Parliament has been convened from September 18 to 22. The session will have five sittings.

Hours after the letter came to the fore, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister responded by saying: "The session has been called following tradition. Perhaps you are not paying attention to tradition. Before calling the Parliament session, there is never any discussion with political parties, nor are the issues discussed."

"After the calling of the session by the President and before commencement of the session, there is a meeting of the leaders of all the parties in which the people rising in the Parliament are discussed. Issues and work are discussed," the minister wrote.

The suspense over the agenda of the Parliament's special session has triggered speculation on the country's name change. The trigger was President Droupadi Murmu's invitation to G20 leaders where she has been described as "President of Bharat".

The next day, a document surfaced that saw PM Modi being described as a "Prime Minister of Bharat".