Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the meeting, attended by representatives of all parties, including Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and TMC leader Derek O’Brien.
Agencies
New Delhi, June 16:
Ahead of tomorrow’s Parliament budget session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday convened an all-party meeting in the national capital in which the Opposition pressed for a debate on several issues including farm distress, unemployment and drought. The first session of the newly-constituted 17th Lok Sabha will be held from June 17 to July 26.
The meeting was attended by representatives of all parties, including Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and TMC leader Derek O’Brien.
As the Prime Minister sought to drum up support for the key bills ahead of the Parliament meet, Azad assured that bills which are in the interest of the people will not be opposed.
Azad also called for early elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which is currently under President’s rule. He questioned why assembly polls could not be held simultaneously with Lok Sabha. It appears as thought the Centre wants to run the state through the Governor’s administration, he alleged.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien, on the other hand, demanded that the Women’s Reservation Bill, which seeks to reserve one-third of all seats for women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, be brought immediately in the session.
“We had a fruitful all-party meeting today, the first one after the election results and before the start of the Monsoon Session. Thankful to the leaders for their valuable suggestions. We all agreed on the smooth running of Parliament so that we can fulfil people’s aspirations,” Modi tweeted after the meeting.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has called a meeting of chiefs of all parties having representatives in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on June 19 to discuss “one nation, one election” issue, celebration of 75 years of India’s Independence in 2022, 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary this year and issues of “aspirational districts”, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi told reporters after the meeting.
Joshi added that Modi has also called for a meeting of MPs to discuss the
