Modi upset with Ministers for bunking Parliament

New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi came down heavily on his ministers who were absent from Parliament duty on Tuesday and asked the party leaders to prepare a list of absentees by Tuesday evening.

Sources said that at BJP's weekly parliamentary party meeting, Modi asked for a list of ministers who skipped their parliament duty despite being on the roster.

They also said that the Prime Minister advised the MPs of his party to extend their scope of work beyond politics. He counselled the lawmakers to engage in social work.

Opposition members have at times raised the issue of absence of ministers.

BJP sources said there have been instances when Cabinet ministers or their deputies scheduled to be present in either Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha were absent.

During the meeting, Modi also said the ongoing session can be extended, if required, to pass the government's legislative agenda, sources added.

With pressure on the Modi 2.0 government to deliver on poll promises, all the ministries have been directed to create dashboards on key target areas so that citizens are informed of the progress report.

Some of the 100-days targets include filling up of 300,000 vacancies in institutes of higher education, efficient grievance redressal system and launching of national e-services delivery assessment.

RSS angry over BJP leaders' conduct

Lucknow: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is said to be "very angry and upset" over the growing tendency of BJP leaders to make uncalled for and controversial remarks that only serve to tarnish the party's image.

Whether it is the Akash Vijayvargiya episode or the remarks of Sadhvi Pragya or the recent controversy over BJP MLA Rajesh Misra's daughter, the Sangh is worried that such incidents are making the BJP lose its USP of being a "party with a difference". "The BJP was always known as a 'party with a difference' but some of the leaders are destroying the party's image. The BJP leadership should now go beyond issuing warnings. Time has come to strict action against such MPs and MLAs.

"Our government at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh have a very comfortable majority and a few numbers less will not make a difference," said a senior RSS functionary.

The Sangh Parivar is particularly upset over the recent controversy involving BJP MLA Rajesh Misra's daughter's marriage with a Dalit youth.