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

Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked his party colleagues to maintain Sanam (restraint) during Parliament sessions even as he slammed the Opposition for disrupting both the Houses. Addressing the BJP’s parliamentary party meeting, Modi said the lawmakers should ensure that the dignity of the House is maintained.

Union home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and party national president JP Nadda were also present at the meeting. Sources said that the PM slammed the Opposition for disrupting the session and called it an insult to Parliament, the Constitution, the democracy, and to the people.

The PM has been flagging the issue of disruptions in Parliament for the past two weeks and underlining the need to expose the Opposition’s “attempts to derail the session”. On Tuesday, he reiterated that BJP MPs should not give in to provocation, but remain present in the House for parliamentary business.

Briefing the media on the PM’s speech, parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi said he expressed anger at the conduct of some Opposition members. While a TMC MP  in Rajya Sabha tore the statement of IT minister Ashwini Vaishnav on the Pegasus issue, several Opposition members tore papers in Lok Sabha and threw them in the air, towards the Chair.

Adding that the PM expressed his anguish over such behaviour, Joshi said, “Making papri chaat’ was an insulting comment…the PM said that tearing of papers, throwing them, and not apologising is arrogance.” Union minister V Muraleedharan also quoted the PM without naming the TMC member. TMC MP Derek O’Brien had tweeted, likening the speedy passing of Bills in Parliament to making papri chaat.

In an interview with ANI Muraleedharan also told “We had ₹1.16 lakh cr GST collection. News from Tokyo Olympics, whether it’s bronze by PV Sindhu or achievements of hockey teams, has [also] come in July,” he said.

The BJP parliamentary party also hailed the PM over the government’s decision to provide reservation to the OBC and the EWS in the all-India quota of medical entrance test NEET. According to another MP, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman gave a presentation on how the economy, which has been severely impacted by the Covid pandemic, has picked up in June and July.

The finance minister is reported to have said that despite the second wave of the pandemic, India’s economy is progressing rapidly. She said that the government has given ₹4.5 lakh crore for MSME support.