Monsoon dhamaka begins today: Vyapam, Sushma, Raje, Lalit and other issues to echo in Parliament

We should move forward on Land Bill, says PM

New Delhi: Ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, the Narendra Modi government is toughening its stand and said that it was ready to discuss controversial issues involving Vyapam scam and Lalit Modi row in the House.

The government agreed on the condition that corruption in all states must be discussed on the floor of the House.

Union Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan CM Vasundhara are embroiled in the controversy involving former Indian Premier League chief Lalit Modi. While Swaraj claimed to have no objection to Lalit Modi's request to travel out of UK, Raje allegedly helped him to get UK stay permit.

Another controversy surrounding the BJP is high profile Vyapam scam. Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan is under fire over scam in which at least 49 people have died. The MP Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) scam relates to irregularities in admission in state-run medical colleges and recruitment in government jobs.

While the Left had demanded a high-level probe on the Lalit Modi controversy, the Congress wanted action against Swaraj, Raje and Chouhan.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah naidu said, "Congress wants to discuss regional issues as there are allegation against chief ministers. If a matter is raised in the House and Speaker admits it, then we have no objection discuss them. Serious allegations have come against chief ministers of different states."

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to the Opposition at an all-party meeting and said it was the responsibility of every leader to run the House.

"The government has to take initiative and responsibility to run Parliament, but this responsibility has to be shared by all. Parliament has a major significance and it should be utilised to discuss all issues. The government is ready to discuss all issues," Modi told leaders of all parties.

Many key bills are pending in Parliament to be passed which includes Land Acquisition Bill, Anti-Black Money Bill, Goods and Services Tax Bill.

Even though it is very unlikely that Parliament will take up Land Bill as the Joint Parliamentary Panel is yet to submit its report, Modi said, "We should move forward on Land Bill."

The all-party meet was called by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu.

Sushma Swaraj is keen to make a statement in Parliament on the controversy, union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy has said.

Meanwhile. the BJP has been reminded by its allies that it is part of a coalition and needs them as it prepares to parry Opposition blows in Parliament. After searing criticism from its oldest ally the Shiv Sena, comes a nudge from a newer one, Upendra Kushwaha from Bihar.

"If the NDA is weakened then even the BJP suffers," warned Kushwaha who heads the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party, a regional party that joined the National Democratic Alliance or NDA last year before the national elections. "There should have been regular meetings of the NDA... It would have meant that allies would not have spoken outside against government policies sending a poor message," Khushwaha, who is a Union Minister, said.

One of those is the Shiv Sena, BJP's partner in Maharashtra, which has pulled no punches. Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said, "The positive mood that was there for this government 14 months ago exists no more."

Land report in Aug 1st week: Speaker

The joint committee of Parliament looking into the contentious Land Bill is expected to give its report in the first week of August, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said here on Monday.

The committee, headed by BJP parliamentarian S.S. Ahluwalia, was given extension till the first week of August after it sought some more time, she told media persons after a luncheon meeting with leaders of all parties in the Lok Sabha on the eve of the beginning of the Monsoon Session of parliament.

"It (the report) is expected to come in the first week of August," she said. She said the committee wanted to hold more consultations and also talk with the government for its views.