Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday praised the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Biju Janata Dal for adhering to parliamentary norms by not entering the Well of the House. The prime minister said people's hearts can be won by political parties even without rushing to the Well of the House to register their protest on various issues. Modi was speaking in Rajya Sabha during a special discussion marking 250 sessions of Rajya Sabha.
"Yet they have made their points effectively. Much can be learnt from this ... people's hearts can be won even without rushing to the Well," he said. Modi said parties, including his BJP, has to learn from the NCP and BJD in this regard.
The prime minister also said Rajya Sabha is about checks and balances. "This is absolutely essential ... here is also a difference between checking and clogging," he said.
Earlier on Monday, PM Modi addressed the media ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament and said he was looking forward to high-quality debates. "There should be high-quality debates in which all MPs should contribute," the prime minister said, adding "we are open to discussions on all issues."
Parliament's Winter Session begins today and is expected to witness much heat as the Opposition looks to corner the Union government over issues like economic slowdown and situation in Kashmir while the Modi dispensation seeks to push through the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, a key part of the BJP's ideological agenda.
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