New Delhi [India], July 20 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Odisha's Kalahandi, Malvika Devi, expressed hope for a productive Monsoon Session of Parliament, stating that elected representatives are eager to fulfil their responsibilities.
Speaking to ANI upon her arrival in the national capital, Malvika Devi said, "Parliament session starts on Monday, 21 July and will go on till 21 August. We hope it goes well and we all work for which we have been elected and sent here...".
Ahead of the session, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju is scheduled to chair an all-party meeting with floor leaders from both Houses of Parliament.
The meeting will be held at 11:00 AM on Sunday in the Main Committee Room of the Parliament House Annexe, followed by a media briefing.
Meanwhile, leaders from various political parties have begun arriving in Delhi. Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SCP) chief Sharad Pawar and Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan reached the capital on Saturday in preparation for the session.
A virtual meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) parties was held, attended by leaders and representatives of the INDIA alliance. In the meeting, twenty-four members of the (INDIA) agreed on various key issues to be raised during the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning Monday, including the Pahalgam terror attack and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
Briefing reporters on the meeting, Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said, "The meeting discussed issues related to people of the country that we will raise during the monsoon session. With everyone's consent, eight main issues have come up in the meeting - Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, Trump's statement on ceasefire and trade, SIR (Special Intensive Revision) in Bihar, foreign policy, delimitation and issue of atrocities on Dalits, STs, women."
"Apart from all this, we will also seek answers on many other important issues, including the Ahmedabad plane accident," he added.
In preparation for the session, a joint mock drill involving the National Security Guard (NSG), Delhi Fire Service, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Delhi Police was conducted on Friday inside Parliament premises. Visuals from the site showed security forces and emergency services vehicles deployed around the complex.
Commenting on the political climate ahead of the session, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had earlier criticised Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over his recent remarks on foreign policy.
"...The way Rahul Gandhi tries to mislead people on foreign policy by speaking the language of Pakistan harms the country. We will suggest to him that as the leader of the opposition, he should not say anything against the country...".
The Monsoon Session of Parliament is scheduled to commence on July 21 and will conclude on August 21.