Budget, triple talaq bill lined up as first Lok Sabha session begins on Monday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday chaired an all party-meeting as well as meetings of the BJP parliamentary party and the NDA allies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with other party leaders leave after attending an all-party meeting at PLB ahead of the17th Lok Sabha session in New Delhi. (Photo | PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with other party leaders leave after attending an all-party meeting at PLB ahead of the17th Lok Sabha session in New Delhi. (Photo | PTI)

NEW DELHI: With the first session of the new Lok Sabha beginning on Monday, the Modi 2.0 government has lined up a slew of legislations like those on major labour reforms and triple talaq, though the big-ticket agenda would be the passage of the Union budget.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday chaired an all party-meeting as well as meetings of the BJP parliamentary party and the NDA allies.

At the BJP parliamentary party meeting, he assured that his government will facilitate legislation that manifests the spirit of sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas (collective efforts, inclusive growth, trust of all). It’s the sabka vishwas part that will be closely watched, as clarity emerges on the government’s new direction.

Modi also invited presidents of all political parties with representation in Parliament for a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the concept of one nation, one poll, which he tried to push in his previous stint. 

While the prime minister sought cohesive functioning by all stakeholders at the all-party meet, the Opposition flagged various issues, including unemployment, J&K elections, farm distress and drought, which they intend to raise on the floor of Parliament. 

Among those present at the meeting were Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien.

The Opposition raised concerns about the weakening of federalism and said deliberate attempts to target states was not acceptable. “We also raised the issue of freedom of press. The behaviour of ruling party workers towards journalists was also raised,” Azad later said.

The Women’s Reservation Bill, too, was on the Opposition’s wish-list with Trinamool’s Sudip Bandyopadhyay and O’Brien seeking its listing and passage. The party raised the issues of electoral reforms, including state funding of elections and paper ballots.

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