Parliament stands with soldier: PM ahead of Monsoon session

Ahead of the monsoon session today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a strong message to China, saying that India stands with the soldiers at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

He said that it is the responsibility of all the parliamentarians to send this message that we unanimously support our soldiers.

“The House has special responsibility for this session. Today, when the brave soldiers of our army are on the border with great courage, with high spirits, in the inaccessible hills…, it is the responsibility of our parliamentarian across the party lines to unanimously send the message across that we stand with them [soldiers],” the Prime Minister said in his conventional address to the media before the House began.

Lauding MPs to accept the House request that it should work on weekends too and agreeing to follow the corona protocols in the House, Modi said, “This time, Parliament begins in a very different atmosphere. There is corona and there is a path of duty too. All MPs have chosen the path of duty. The Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha will work on different time. Parliament will be functioning on weekends too. I welcome this.”

The Budget session was cut short and adjourned sine dine on March 23 due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.

Special arrangements were made available by the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Secretariats to ensure the safety of those visiting Parliament during the session.

Both Houses would work for a limited duration.

The Lok Sabha would sit from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today—day one of the session—while the Rajya Sabha will function from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. This pattern will continue for all days, including on Saturdays and Sundays.

The 18-day session, to continue till October 1, will be the fourth session of the 17<sup>th</sup> Lower House and 252<sup>nd</sup> session of the Upper House.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the customary all-party meetings and the question hour have been scrapped.

The zero hour is also reduced to half. Presently, 46 Bills are pending Parliament of which 17 are listed for the consideration.

There are 23 legislations pending for introduction, consideration and passage..