BJP Parliament meeting MPs asked to avoid making provocative statements

In the first parliamentary party meeting during the winter session, parliamentary affairs minister M. Venkaiah Naidu told the members that provocative statements are being used by the anti-BJP forces to deflect the attention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development agenda.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, minister of state for parliamentary affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said members were also briefed about the recent elections, including one in Bihar where the BJP suffered a big defeat, and the need to work to spread the party ideology was stressed.

“MPs were told to speak with understanding and decorum. There is a need to avoid controversy… At a time when the Prime Minister is pushing ahead with his development agenda, many people are unable to digest it and any misstep will allow anti-BJP forces to work it to their benefit. We should avoid making provocative statements,” Naqvi said, quoting Naidu.

Finance minister Arun Jaitley said in the meeting that the economic growth of 7.4% in the last quarter was a positive sign for the country and will help the government take development to the poor.

The “constructive discussion” between Modi and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh was also flagged in the meeting. We have all hopes that developmental issues will be discussed and passed, Naqvi said, apparently referring to the GST Bill.