With the heat and dust of campaign and government formation in the five States that saw Assembly elections now over, Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a stern warning to BJP MPs on regular attendance in Parliament after recent incidents of lack of quorum in the Lok Sabha and missing Ministers in the Rajya Sabha.
Mr. Modi warned MPs that he would be “calling any MP at any time to consult on any issue,” a prospect that would ensure their presence in Parliament. “ Main aapke liye bahut kuch kar sakta hoon, lekin app ke liye House main upasthit nahin rah sakta (I can do a lot of things for your sake, but cannot be present in the House on your behalf),” he said, while addressing the BJP’s parliamentary party meeting.
A senior MP who had attended the meeting said Mr. Modi had made it clear it did not matter to him if they were in the Central Hall, a place to host joint sittings of Parliament where MPs often meet for informal conversation, as what is important is that they should be inside the Houses.
Foundation Day
In his press briefing on the meeting, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar said Mr. Modi also laid out the “road map” for the party as it gears up to celebrate its Foundation day on April 6 and Dalit icon Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s birth anniversary on April 14.
