Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: As the Monsoon Session of Parliament approaches, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has called for a more orderly and respectful atmosphere in the House. In an all-party meeting on Sunday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju conveyed Singh’s appeal for MPs to avoid interrupting or interfering when another member is speaking.
Rijiju emphasized Singh’s commitment to upholding the sanctity of parliamentary democracy, noting that interruptions during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address on the Motion of Thanks to the President in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were problematic. Singh has urged that such disruptions undermine the democratic process, asserting that when the Prime Minister speaks, the House and the nation should listen without interruptions.
Rijiju also expressed gratitude to the floor leaders of all parties for their constructive suggestions ahead of the Monsoon Session. He stressed that maintaining smooth parliamentary proceedings is a joint responsibility of both the government and the opposition.
Attendees at the all-party meeting included Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and K Suresh, AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, RJD’s Abhay Kushwaha, JD(U)’s Sanjay Jha, AAP’s Sanjay Singh, SP’s Ramgopal Yadav, and NCP’s Praful Patel. Ramesh highlighted that while JD(U) and YSR Congress sought special category status for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, respectively, the TDP remained silent on the issue. BJD leader Sasmit Patra also called for special category status for Odisha.
The Monsoon Session, set to commence on Monday and run until August 12 with 19 sittings, is expected to be contentious. The opposition plans to challenge the NDA government on various issues, including the NEET paper leak and railway safety. The session will also see the presentation of six bills, including one to replace the outdated Aircraft Act and another to secure parliamentary approval for the Jammu and Kashmir budget.