Forget numbers, be active in House, PM tells opposition
After several decades a government has won an absolute majority for a second term. People have given us chance to serve country again. I request all parties to support decisions that are in favour of people, says Modi
Congress president Rahul Gandhi was conspicuous by his absence on Monday as the first session of the 17th Lok Sabha opened.
The Congress said Rahul is expected on Tuesday as the oath-taking of newly-elected members continue.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the oath on Monday. BJP lawmakers chanted “Modi, Modi” as PM Modi read out the oath in the lower house of the parliament. “I, Narendra Damodardas Modi, who has been appointed as the member of Lok Sabha, pledge that I would abide by constitution in delivering my duties,” Modi said.
Among other lawmakers who took oath today were Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Smriti Irani.
Modi on Monday assured the opposition that their “every word” will be taken seriously. “The numbers do not mater,” said Modi who commands a substantial majority in the treasury benches.
His Bjpleads the NDA that has 353 MPS in the 545- strong lower house of parliament. thebjp alone has 303 MPS, while the second largest party in the house, the Congress has 52 MPS.
“The role of an opposition and an active opposition is important in a Parliamentary democracy. The opposition need not bother about their numbers. Whatever numbers opposition parties may have got from the people, we will take their every word seriously. I hope they speak actively and participate in house proceedings,” said Modi.
“When we come to Parliament, we should forget ‘Paksh’ (the Treasury) and ‘Vipaksh’ (the Opposition). We should think about issues with a ‘Nishpaksh’ (objective) spirit and work in the larger interest of the nation.
“My experience also suggests that when Parliament functions smoothly, we are able to fulfill numerous aspirations of the people of india ,” he said.
On Sunday Modi chaired an all-party meeting where he requested floor leaders of various political parties to keep their differences aside to avoid disruption in proceedings.
“We are for the people... We cannot win hearts by disrupting the functioning of Parliament. All parties must keep political differences aside and commit themselves to tireless work for the nation’s progress,” he said.
The budget session, which will conclude on July 26, will see the tabling of the Triple Talaq bill and a legislation to allow the voluntary use of Aadhaar as an identity proof for opening bank accounts and geting mobile phone connections. Opposition has demanded that issues like farm distress, unemployment and drought crisis be taken up for discussions in the first session.
The Union Budget will be presented on July 5. The fresh bill to ban instant triple talaq will be introduced in Parliament to replace an ordinance issued in February. Under the proposed law, instant triple talaq will be illegal and atract a jail term of three years. The previous bill had not cleared the Rajya Sabha hurdle and lapsed with the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha.
In the Lok Sabha elections, the Bjp-led NDA won a whopping 353 of the 542 seats where elections were held. The Congress, the second largest party in the Lok Sabha ater the BJP, won 52 seats while several other opposition parties too performed badly.
Modi also urged MPS to work for the country in an impartial way and address issues related to larger interests of the country.
Noting that Monday marks the start of the first Parliament session ater the Lok Sabha elections, the Prime Minister welcomed all new MPS and said: “With them comes new hopes, new aspirations and new determination to serve.”
Requesting all parties to support the mandate given by the people, mo di said :“at er several decades a government has won an absolute majority for a second term. People have given us the chance to serve the country again. I request all the parties to support the decisions that are in favour of people.” Modi expressed satisfaction that the new Lok Sabha has a high number of women members.
Later, the Prime Minister along with other MPS took oath as members of the Lok Sabha, which will see the passage of the union Budget and some key legislations including the Triple Talaq Bill.
Pro tem Speaker Virendra Kumar administered the oath to Modi and other newly elected members.
The first two days of the session will be devoted to oath-taking by Lok Sabha members.
The Speaker will be elected on Wednesday. The next day, at a joint siting of both Houses of Parliament, President Ram Nath Kovind will deliver his customary address.