All-party meet: Bills discussed, Rajnath to address Rajya Sabha on Thursday

New Delhi: An all-party meeting called by the government to ensure smooth proceedings in Parliament concluded on Wednesday evening wherein bills and smooth operation of the already short session were discussed.

After the meeting, it has been decided that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will make a statement on the India-China border tensions in Rajya Sabha on Thursday at 12 p.m.

Singh, who earlier addressed the Lok Sabha, said that the Indian Army has repeatedly foiled China's attempts to change the status quo at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Setting to rest speculation, nothing on China was discussed in Wednesday's all-party meeting.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said after the meeting concluded, "It was not a meeting on China. Bills are being discussed and we had asked the government to agree to send some of the bills for scrutiny."

Government sources told IANS that Singh attended the all-party meeting as the Deputy Leader of Lok Sabha.

Meanwhile, the Opposition has also believed to have pressed the government for a discussion on economy in the coming days.

Apart from Singh, Railway and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, and his deputy Arjun Ram Meghwal from the treasury benches were present in the meeting.

Social Justice Minister Thawarchand Gehlot and External Affairs MoS V Muraleedhar also attended the meet.

From the Congress, Anand Sharma and Azad were present along with other Opposition floor leaders.

The Monsoon Session of Parliament, the first since the pandemic hit India and the nation went for a lockdown late in March, will conclude on October 1.