All-Party Meet: PM Modi Says Open To Discuss All Issues; Oppn Raises Farooq Abdullah's Detention, Economy Slowdown

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi called an all-party meeting on Sunday, a day before the commencement of Parliament's Winter Session.

At the meet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured that the government is ready to discuss all issues, while the opposition strongly raised Lok Sabha MP Farooq Abdullah's detention and demanded that he be allowed to attend the House. (Twitter)

New Delhi: Ahead of Parliament's winter session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday assured an all-party meeting that the government is ready to discuss all issues, while the opposition raised concerns over economic slowdown and farm distress and strongly demanded that detained Lok Sabha MP Farooq Abdullah be allowed to attend the House. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi called an all-party meeting on Sunday, a day before the commencement of Parliament's Winter Session. At the meet, the opposition strongly raised Lok Sabha MP Farooq Abdullah's detention and demanded that he be allowed to attend the House. Besides, the Opposition also demanded that the issues of economic slowdown, job loss, and farm distress must be discussed during the session, Congress' leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said. Constructive discussion in Parliament also keeps the bureaucracy alert, the prime minister said at the meeting. 'The prime minister, while responding to specific issues raised by the representatives of various political parties, said that the government would work together with all parties in a constructive manner to address pending legislations and frame policy solutions for specific issues related to environment and pollution, economy, agricultural sector and farmers and the rights of women, youth and the less privileged sections of society,' an official statement said. At the meeting attended by 27 parties, Prime Minister Modi said the most important job of the House is to discuss and debate, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi told reporters. Prime Minister Modi also noted that this session of Parliament will be a special occasion as it will mark the 250th session of Rajya Sabha and expressed happiness that special events and activities were being planned to mark this occasion, the statement said.

Prime Minister attends All Parties Leaders Meeting ahead of Winter Session of Parliament beginning tomorrow

This session of the Parliament will be a special occasion for it will mark the 250th session of the Rajya Sabha: PM @narendramodi Read here: https://t.co/cDyeUURNjw pic.twitter.com/kzWYUP5J2x — PIB India (@PIB_India) November 17, 2019

Farooq Abdullah's detention was raised at the all-party meet, National Conference MP Hasnain Masoodi said, adding that the government is under constitutional obligation to ensure his participation in the Parliament session. "How can a parliamentarian be detained illegally? He should be allowed to attend Parliament," Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said. The government has detained Abdullah under the Public Safety Act (PSA), a law enacted by his father and NC founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in 1978 when he was the chief minister. Besides Modi, the all-party meeting was also attended by BJP chief Amit Shah and several senior opposition leaders. The meeting was also attended by Union minister Thawarchand Gehlot, Chowdhury, Azad and deputy leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma. TMC leader Derek O Brien, LJP leader Chirag Paswan and Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav, Telugu Desam Party Jayadev Galla and V Vijaysai Reddy were among those present at the meeting. The meeting was called by the government and moderated by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Meghwal. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had on Saturday appealed to all political parties for cooperation for ensuring smooth functioning of the House. After an all-party meeting, which was also attended by PM Modi, the Speaker said floor leaders of different parties mentioned various issues that they wished to be discussed during the winter session, beginning November 18 till December 13. (With inputs from PTI)