Need collaborative not confrontationist politics; people in no mood to accept negativism: Govt

New Delhi: As the winter session of Parliament started on Thursday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the country needs collaborative and not confrontationist politics and people are in no mood to accept negativism.

"Country needs collaborative politics and not confrontationist politics. People are keenly watching lawmakers. They are in no mood to accept negativism," he said, noting that the all-party meeting held on Wednesday has raised hopes of a better session.

"As winter session of Parliament began today. There are concerns of people over functioning of Parliament and expectations from this session," he said.

His remarks come in the backdrop of a washout of the Monsoon session of Parliament with key legislations pushed by the government left pending.

Naidu said both the government and the opposition have clearly defined responsibilities in parliamentary democracy.

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While government has to perform and deliver as per the mandate given by the people, he said the opposition has to keep a watch on the government while at the same time enable Parliament to meet the aspirations of people.

"So, both government and opposition are under pressure - government to perform and opposition to conduct itself in a constructive manner," he said.

With government making all-out efforts to get key pending legislations passed in Parliament, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said, "There is no issue that can't be resolved through dialogue and we are for dialogue."

"Government voluntarily offered to discuss the so-called issue of intolerance even before opposition raised it in the all-party meet yesterday," he said.

Government is keen that the key tax reforms legislation, the GST bill, is passed in Parliament and is ready to walk the extra mile and engage with the opposition to iron out differences on the issue.

Naidu said to commemorate the adoption of Constitution on November 26, 1949, the first Constitution Day is being observed today.

Parliament is holding a special sitting on November 26 and 27, remembering Dr B R Ambedkar and other founding fathers of the Constitution and as a mark of respect to them, holding a discussion on the Constitution.

Lending support to Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, NCP leader Praful Patel said it should be passed in the Winter Session. "We are in favour of GST. It should be passed in this session. If some good suggestions comes, the government should be open to incorporate those," Patel said.

The government also got comfort from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on GST. "Government is saying that the implementation of GST will improve and strengthen the economy. It is in the interest of the country. We will therefore support this," BSP supreme Mayawati said.

GST, which will subsume more than a dozen state levies to create a single market, is to be implemented from April 1, 2016. But a Constitution Amendment Bill could not go through the Rajya Sabha in the last session of Parliament due to opposition from the Congress.

The April 1 deadline may be missed if Parliament does not pass the Bill in the session from November 26 to December 23.