Farmers Movement Archive

BJP parliamentary party meeting: PM Modi flags disruptions, calls for restraint

PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmakers to maintain sanyam (restraint) during Parliament sessions even as he slammed the Opposition for disrupting both the Houses. Addressing the BJP’s parliamentary party meeting, PM said the lawmakers should ensure that the dignity of the House is maintained. Since the beginning of the session on July 19, the Opposition parties have been protesting in both Houses of Parliament, affecting the transaction of the listed business. Parties such as the Congress, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the Aam Aadmi Party and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam have been demanding a discussion and a reply from the PM or home minister Amit Shah on the Pegasus snooping controversy and for the rollback of the three farm laws. Briefing media on the PM’s speech, parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi said he expressed anger at the conduct of some Opposition members and said it was an insult to democracy. The conduct of the Opposition is an “insult” to Parliament and the Constitution, they have an “undemocratic” attitude and are not keen on meaningful debates Joshi said, quoting the PM. The PM is also learnt to criticised a tweet by TMC’s Derek O’Brien without referring to the MP’s name. O’Brien tweeted on Monday, “#MASTERSTROKE #Parliament. In the first 10 days, Modi-Shah rushed through and passed 12 Bills at an average time of UNDER SEVEN MINUTES per Bill…Passing legislation or making papri chaat!” Also Read | Leaders from Cong, 14 other parties meet as Oppn launches offensiveUnion minister V Muraleedharan said the PM, while referring to the tweet, called it “derogatory” and an “insult of parliamentary procedure and esteem of elected representatives.” According to an MP, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman gave a presentation on how the economy, that has been severely impacted by the Covid pandemic, has picked up in June and July. “She said that the government has given ₹4.5 lakh crore for MSME support and the foreign reserves have increased to an all-time high,” a BJP functionary said. The FM also gave details of the GST collections last month that have crossed ₹1.16 lakh crore and how the banking sector has a profit of ₹31,816 crore. “She said the core sector growth is good and free ration will be distributed till Diwali. The minister also said all the eight economic indicators are showing improvement and the government has released five mini budgets to boost economy,” the functionary said. While the Opposition met over breakfast hosted by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, signaling their intent of presenting a combined front, the government has been critical of the protests on the floor of both the Houses. In the Rajya Sabha, TMC MP Santanu Sen was suspended for tearing the statement of IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on the Pegasus issue, in the Lok Sabha several Opposition members tore papers and flung them in the air, towards the Chair. Responding to the Opposition’s criticism of the rushed passage of bills, Joshi tweeted, “Glaring Irony. Derek O’Brien accuses Govt of rushing Bills & fails to note: TMC & Congress are continuously disrupting Parliament, 13 bills passed without discussion in 1 day in Rajasthan, 16 bills passed without discussion in RS during UPA’s regime, Selective Amnesia?”

Hindustan Times

03-08-2021

India