Monsoon Session: Modi Reaches Out to Opposition, Seeks Support For Crucial Bills

New Delhi: Ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reached out to the opposition parties seeking their support in passing of Bills including the crucial Goods and Service Tax Bill.

"I spoke to all parties over the past days, everyone is in the mood to further development. Hope Monsoon Session observes high standards of discussions and important decisions are made," Modi said outside Parliament building.

"As the nation nears its 70th Independence Day celebrations I hope that we are able to take the right decisions and help the nation to progress faster. All parties should work together to see to it that constructive discussions take place in Monsoon Session," he added.

The session could see another round of face-off between the Modi government and the opposition parties. The latter is likely to raise the issue of unrest in Jammu and Kashmir, the political upheaval in Arunachal Pradesh, etc.

The government has tried to build consensus on GST in an all-party meeting. It remains to be seen whether the government's attempt can push the bill through Rajya Sabha where Congress has blocked its passage due to numerical strength.

The government's legislative agenda includes taking up 16 bills, including three to replace ordinances.

Besides the GST, another key legislation pending passage is the Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015, which was moved in December 2015 but the discussion on it had remained inconclusive. In the Budget Session, this bill could not be taken up for debate.

In the Lok Sabha, important pending bills include the Consumer Protection Bill 2015 and the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2015.

The last few sessions of Parliament have seen frequent face-offs between the ruling and the opposition benches but the second part of the Budget Session saw a relative improvement as far as the completion of government business was concerned. after obituary references to Dalpat Singh Paraste, Lok Sabha MP from Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh who passed away on June 1.