Don't cross 'lakshman rekha': PM's stern warning to BJP lawmakers

In a stern warning to Bharatiya Janata Party members of Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked them not to cross the ‘lakshman rekha’ with controversial remarks as it hurts the government and the party.

Modi’s tough talk came against the backdrop of repeated opposition disruptions in Parliament objecting to remarks by a Union minister and BJP MPs on issues like conversion.

Sources said addressing BJP MPs at the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting, the prime minister said government will not get diverted from its development agenda and stressed that the work should be “visible” on the ground.

At the meeting, the PM asked MPs not to cross the ‘lakshman rekha’ in their remarks, the sources said.

The PM’s remarks come amid controversies over certain statements of party leaders that triggered opposition uproar in Parliament. The Rajya Sabha has not been functioning for almost a week now.

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.

The PM had earlier announced that the day be celebrated across the country for good governance, which he said was ushered in the previous National Democratic Alliance 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 the poor in hospitals on the day, party sources said.

Besides Prime Minister 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 and the opposition did not want government to carry out any legislative business which it was very keen to do.

All party MPs including Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Nitin Gadkari were present at the meeting.