The government is ready to hold discussion on any subject to be raised in the Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at an all-party meeting on Sunday ahead of the monsoon session. More than 40 leaders from 33 parties attended the meeting, according to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi.
"At the all-party meeting, Prime Minister Modi said that healthy and fruitful debates should take place in the Parliament. He said that the government is ready to hold discussions on any subject if raised as per parliamentary rules and procedures," Joshi said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, TMC MP Derek O'Brien and DMK's Tiruchi Siva were among the key leaders who attended the meeting. Ram Gopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party and Satish Mishra of the BSP were also present at the meeting.
“Modi said that all representatives' suggestions including those from the Opposition are very valuable," Joshi said.
The session which begins on Monday is scheduled to conclude on August 13.
While the government plans to bring in as many as 30 bills, the opposition is likely to raise the issues of inflation, government’s handling of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and fuel price.
Modi chaired a separate meeting of the NDA floor leaders to finalise the floor strategy for the monsoon session.
Leaders of several NDA constituent parties were in attendance. These included Apna Dal leader Anupriya Patel, JD(U) leader Ram Nath Thakur, AIADMK leader A Navaneethakrishnan, RPI leader Ramdas Athawale and LJP leader Pashupati Paras among others.
