Country's interest paramount, we have to collectively move forward: PM Modi at all-party meet

New Delhi: On the eve of Monsoon session that starts from Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday opined that responsibility to run Parliament should be shared by all political parties.

While attending all-party meet called by Parliamentary Minister Venkaiah Naidu, PM Modi appealed to parties to utilise Parliament time for discussing all issues and said running both the Houses is a shared responsibility of all.

The BJP strongman exhorted the parties to move forward on the contentious land bill. He asked his colleagues to collectively move forward on issues discussed in the last session while keeping the country's interest in mind.

"It is time to move forward. All of us have to collectively move forward. The country's interest is paramount. Certain issues discussed in the last session need to be taken forward," the PM further said at the meeting.

The Monsoon Session that is likely to end on August 13, is expected to be a stormy affair with Congress and other parties giving indications to that effect. Congress and other opposition parties will raise the demand the removal of Sushma Swaraj, Vasundhara Raje and Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the wake of their alleged involvement in Lalitgate and Vyapam scam.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday put forward his party's views and demanded the resignations of Swaraj, Raje and Chouhan for smooth functioning of the House.

Commenting on the Goods and Services Tax Bill, Azad said his party is not against the passage of the bill but there should be consensus and detailed discussions on it.

On Sunday, top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders met at the Prime Minister's official 7, Race Course Road (RCR) residence here to discuss the party's strategy ahead of the Monsoon Session of the Parliament.

Union Ministers Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh and Venkaiah Naidu, and BJP president Amit Shah were among those who participated in the meeting.

The party leadership reportedly discussed the strategy for the session as opposition parties have closed their ranks against the government on various issues, including Vyapam scam, Lalit Modi controversy and the Socio Economic and Caste Census.

While the BJP-led NDA commands a sizeable majority in the Lok Sabha, it lacks numbers in the Rajya Sabha where opposition holds the key to passage of important legislations, including Goods and Services Tax and land bill.