Modi asks BJP MPs not to divert from development agenda

New Delhi: As controversies involving partymen galore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked BJP MPs not to divert from the government's agenda of development and good governance and desist from providing the opposition an opportunity to create hurdles.

The remarks came against the backdrop of repeated disruptions in Parliament over remarks by BJP MPs on issues like conversion and stridency shown by sangh parivar outfits Addressing the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting here, the Prime Minister said government will not get diverted from its development agenda and stressed that the work should be “visible” on the ground.

“Our party agenda is development and good governance and we should not dither in it. We will not allow dilution or deviation from our commitment,” the Prime Minister told MPs, sources said.

Modi also told party MPs about the government's plans to hold a host of programmes like seminars and conferences on ‘Good Governance' on December 25 that coincides with former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee's birthday.

“Atalji's birthday is a day of pride for us. The recognition of BJP is with good governance, which is through fine and effective policies and programmes,” the Prime Minister said at the meeting.

He had earlier announced that the day be celebrated across the country for good governance, which he said was ushered in the previous NDA regime led by Vajpayee and is being carried out in this government.

A campaign on Clean India, holding debates and discussions on good governance addressed by top BJP leaders, eliciting suggestions from public to improve governance and distributing literature on it during the previous six-year NDA regime and during the six months of this government will mark the day.

Elaborating on the programme at the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting at Parliament House library, he said service to society will be initiated by holding of camps on health, eye care, blood donation and distribution of blankets and other essentials to poor in hospitals on the day, party sources said.

On ‘Swachh Bharat', the PM said it is not a statement, but a commitment and now that people have taken a lead, “if we fail to do it we will be rendered irrelevant” and asked the MPs to take this crusade forward with “commitment and utmost simplicity”.

Beside Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu spoke on good governance and the current impasse created by opposition.

Jaitley said that government was keen to get bills passed and would not be cowed down by the opposition agenda. He also said that the opposition was hell-bent on wasting this session.

“The opposition does not want any discussion, but wants destruction of the current session,” Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters after the meeting.

He said there was a policy paralysis in the previous government, which this government has removed and opposition does not want it to carry out any legislative business.

His colleague Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Pratap Rudy said, the Prime Minister emphasised that the MPs should endeavour to educate themselves minutely in programmes of government and be familiar to the policies and activities of ministries and keep abreast of their initiatives.

On explaining good governance, Modi gave MPs the example of constructing a bus stand is development but to see that buses ply in time, are kept clean and ensure that women commuters are safe are the ingredients of governance.

Similarly, he said, constructing a hospital is a work of development but rendering quality services is part of governance and asked people in government and those associated with it to be sensitive.

Rudy said the PM told the Ministers to ensure that during the Parliament session they should hold interactive presentations with members, who, in turn, should have an eye for details of government schemes.

The Prime Minister also emphasised on every member making an endeavour to ensure that every booth in the country has atleast 10 primary members and the party activities be given utmost priority.

Referring to the ‘Vijay Diwas' marking the success in the 1971 war with Pakistan, the Prime Minister said the genocide in Bangladesh then compelled India's military intervention following which over 90,000 Pakistani troops had surrendered.

Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Nitin Gadkari were among those present at the meeting.