BJP issues whip to its MPs for presence in parliament

Accusing the Congress of disrupting parliament proceedings for individual interests, the ruling Bharatiya Janata party on Tuesday issued a whip to its MPs to be present in both houses for the remainder of the winter session.

"The Congress is responsible for disruptions in both houses of parliament and that too for an individual's interests and by harming national interests," BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters after a meeting of the BJP parliamentary party.

"The issues raised by the Congress are manufactured," he added.

He said Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu directed party MPs to be present in both houses for the remainder of the winter session that will end on December 23.

Naqvi, who is minister of state for parliamentary affairs, said the flood situation in Chennai was also discussed in the meeting.

"All BJP MPs will contribute Rs.10,000 each for Chennai flood relief," he said.

Naqvi said the BJP will celebrate the birth anniversaries of both former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Swami Vivekananda.

"On January 12, the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, the government will launch several programmes to empower the youth. Like last year, the government and the BJP will also celebrate Vajpayee's birthday on December 25 as 'Good Governance Day," he said.