Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hoped the "growing stronger together" spirit of the GST will bring enthusiasm to Parliament proceedings and that political parties will engage in high standard of debate and provide value addition during the Monsoon session.
Terming the start of the session as very significant, Modi noted that this session has got an opportunity to elect a new president and a vice-president for the country, which will also complete seven decades of its Independence on August 15.
"Today the Monsoon session begins. After summer, the advent of rain brings in a fresh pleasant smell in the soil.
Similarly, the Monsoon session will bring in a new spirit after the successful implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST)," he hoped.
"It is my firm belief that the Monsoon session will provide an opportunity to all political parties and MPs to enter into high standard of debate and to provide value addition for taking major decisions in larger national interest," he told reporters here.
The prime minister said the passage of the GST showed the good that can be achieved when all political parties, all governments come together and work for the nation.
Modi said whenever political parties and government take decisions keeping in mind national interest, it shows their commitment towards the larger public good.
"It has been proved successfully with the implementation of GST. The GST spirit is about growing stronger together.
I hope the same GST spirit prevails in this session," he said.
The Budget session of Parliament had enacted the Goods and Services Tax act, which was supported by all political parties in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
"This session is very significant. On August 15, we will complete seven decades of our Independence. On August 9, which comes in the midst of the session, the Quit India Movement turns 75 years," he said.
The prime minister said since the Monsoon session falls in one of the most significant period of the country, so naturally, people's attention, like always, will be focused more on this session. "As the Monsoon session of Parliament gets underway, we salute our farmers who have been ensuring food security for the country with their hard work. This session begins by remembering those farmers," he said.
PM walks up to greet Oppn MPs
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday walked up to senior opposition leaders in the Lok Sabha to greet them as the House met on the opening day of the monsoon session while voting was underway for the keenly- contested presidential election in the parliament complex.
Just before the proceedings began, Modi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar exchanged pleasantries with leaders in the opposition benches including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah.
Abdullah took oath as Lok Sabha member on Monday after winning the Srinagar bypoll recently.
While the Prime Minister greeted Gandhi with a 'namaste', he shook hands with Yadav. Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan's son Chirag was seen touching the feet of the Prime Minister.
Swaraj, who walked up to the opposition leaders after Modi, was seen talking to Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge.