At all-party meet, PM Narendra Modi reaches out to Opposition, says ready to discuss all issues

NEW DELHI: Reaching out to the Opposition parties a day ahead of Parliament's Winter Session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that his government is ready to discuss all issues of concern.

''We are ready to discuss all issues raised by the Opposition. I hope that the upcoming winter session of Parliament will be fruitful and constructive. I look forward to receiving the support of all parties,'' the PM said this during the all-party meeting attended by top leaders from the Opposition.

''If needed, we will pass important bills till late evening,'' he added.

However, the Opposition does not appear to be satisfied with PM's appeal and said that it will press for a joint parliamentary committee probe into the Rafale jet deal.

During the meeting, several others issues, including the misuse of central probe agencies and autonomy for RBI, were also raised by the Opposition leaders which they said will be taken up during the winter session of Parliament beginning Tuesday.

Emerging from the all-party meeting convened by the government ahead of the Winter Session, the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad said, ''The Opposition will once again press for the formation of a JPC to look into the Rs 58,000 crore Rafale jet deal in which it has alleged corruption.''

Azad told reporters that the issue of alleged misuse of probe agencies by the government to settle political scores will also be raised.

The Opposition, he said, will take up the issue of autonomy of the Reserve Bank of India in the session.

Besides PM Modi, the crucial meeting was attended by top leaders, including Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, CPI leader D Raja among others.

Amid a tussle between the government and the RBI, Opposition parties have accused the NDA regime of trying to damage every institution in the country by interfering in their autonomy and alleged the central bank was being forced to "open bank funding" to defaulting corporates. 

(With PTI Inputs)