At all party meet, Narendra Modi discusses gau rakshaks, presidential election and more

[caption id=“attachment_3820629” align=“alignnone” width=“940”]  All political parties of the country met on Sunday, a day ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The NDA government is preparing to face an Opposition bloc of 18 parties on a host of issues, including GST, Sikkim standoff, cow vigilantism and other issues. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan presided over the all-party meeting in the capital on Sunday. PTI[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_3820633” align=“alignnone” width=“940”]  Seeking to blunt the Opposition’s attack over cow vigilantism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to put the onus on checking “hooliganism” of state governments, insisting that they take “stringent action” against them. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met NCP chief Sharad Pawar, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, CPI’s D Raja, and parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar and minister of state Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. PTI[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_3820637” align=“alignnone” width=“940”]  The prime minister, flanked by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Ananth Kumar, SS Ahluwalia and JDS president HD Deve Gowda, also urged all parties to extend their support to the government in fighting corruption. Hinting at Trinamool Congress and RJD on the issue of corruption, Modi said the political class should join hands against those who seek an escape route by dubbing action against them in graft cases as a political conspiracy. PTI[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_3820645” align=“alignnone” width=“940”]  In his speech, Modi also referred to the presidential poll to be held on 17 July and said it would have been better had there been a consensus on the candidate. He, however, said a “high level of dignity” has been maintained by both sides during the campaign and there was no ill will and foul language was not used. He also called upon all political parties to ensure that everyone votes and no vote is wasted. PTI[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_3820649” align=“alignnone” width=“940”]  Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters after the meeting that Modi also noted that 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement falls on 9 August and all parties should celebrate it. On the issue of Kashmir and tensions with China, Kumar said the government had a meeting with opposition leaders who said they were with the government on matters of national security. PTI[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_3820653” align=“alignnone” width=“940”]  There was consensus on ensuring the smooth functioning of Parliament and that deadlocks should be resolved through constructive discussion, Ananth Kumar said. PTI[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_3820659” align=“alignnone” width=“940”]  Among opposition leaders who attended the meeting were Ghulam Nabi Azad (Congress), Sharad Pawar (NCP), Sitaram Yechury (CPM), Mulayam Singh Yadav (SP), Farooq Abdullah (NC) and D Raja (CPI). PTI[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_3820661” align=“alignnone” width=“940”]  However, no one from either the JDU or the Trinamool Congress was present. While JDU skipped the meeting citing a busy schedule, TMC had announced it would boycott the meeting amid recriminations with BJP over violence in West Bengal. However, TMC’s MP Kalyan Banerjee did attend the meeting. PTI[/caption]