PM hopes for fruitful Winter Session as Govt readies to table triple talaq bill

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hoped the Winter Session this year will be ‘fruitful’ for the people of the country and the Opposition will participate in the debate and discussion with a positive approach.

“Generally winter starts with Diwali. But due to global warming winter has not come in full force. But winter session has started now and I hope that country would be benefited from fruitful 2017-2018 Winter Session in Parliament. I hope for positive and innovative arguments,” Modi said.

“I have faith and all-party meeting yesterday (Thursday) shared same idea that this Parliament session should be held with positive approach to move the country forward. I also hope that country will be benefited and democracy will be strengthened from the session,” he said.

The Winter Session, which commenced more than a month after its supposed schedule, will end on January 5, 2018.

This Winter Session of Parliament will have 14 sittings, seven less than last year.

The session is expected to be rocky as the Congress is likely to raise the Modi’s statement against former prime minister Manmohan Singh. Modi, at an election rally in Gujarat, had accused Singh and Mani Shankar Aiyar of hatching a conspiracy to influence the Gujarat elections. The allegations were made a couple of days after the Congress leaders met Pakistani officials at Aiyar’s house.

The Congress had insisted that Modi apologise for spreading ‘falsehoods and canards’ against his predecessor Singh and the opposition party is likely to raise bring up the demand again in Parliament.

The Opposition is also expected to corner the BJP-led NDA government over the delay in the Winter Session allegedly in the wake of Gujarat Assembly elections.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar had, on Thursday, said that the government was willing to debate all issues raised by the Opposition and added that the latter should also help it in conducting its business, including passage of key bills.

The Government seek to pass 25 pending bills and table 14 new ones, including a bill to criminalise the practice of ‘triple talaq’ among Muslim community.

The NDA will again introduce Constitutional Amendment Bill 123, with an aim to provide constitutional rights to the National Backward Classes Commission (NCBC). The Opposition had stalled the bill in the Rajya Sabha in the Monsoon Session.

(With inputs from agencies)