New Delhi|HL
We represent both the people and our political parties. We must keep national interests above everything else,” PM Modi told the meeting called on the eve of the monsoon session of Parliament.
The government is also likely to push for passage of a bill to replace an ordinance that it promulgated to amend the Enemy Property Act as well as a bill to replace another ordinance on the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).
Apart from GST, bills likely to be taken up for passage are the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Bill 2015, and the Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws and Miscellaneous Provisions (Amendment) Bill, 2016. Some of the crucial bills before the Rajya Sabha are the Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill 2015, the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill 2016, and the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill 2013.
During the meeting, Modi also thanked political parties on recent events in Jammu and Kashmir, saying, “various parties have given statements on Kashmir events which benefitted the country. This has sent a right message and I thank all the parties for the same.”
P.J. Kurien, deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha, said he was hopeful the upcoming session will be productive. “I hope the monsoon session will be a fruitful and productive one. The last session was also productive and a number of bills were passed. I hope this session is productive too, and the opposition parties get enough time to air their views,” Kurien said.
