Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reiteration of stringent action against “hooliganism in the name of cow protection” a day ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament did little to calm the Opposition on Sunday.

The opposition parties are set to contest the government over increasing incidents of lynching and deteriorating internal security situation, especially in Jammu and Kashmir, besides economic issues and farm distress in the ensuring weeks.

They will also raise the issue of border stand-off with China during the session.

A series of meetings took place on Sunday between the government and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan with the Opposition even as the ruling NDA and the rival Congress held internal parleys to discuss their respective strategies in Parliament and the Presidential election that coincides with the beginning of the Monsoon Session on Monday.

The day began with the PM addressing an all-party meeting, where, besides the TMC and the JD(U), all constituents of the ruling NDA and the opposition alliance were present. The PM asked all parties to collectively fight hooliganism by cow vigilantes and said all State governments should take stringent action against anti-social elements perpetrating violence.

“Cow is treated as a mother and it is an emotive issue. But we have to understand that there are laws governing cow protection and breaking it is not an alternative,” he said in a series of tweets after the all-party meeting.

“The State governments should take stringent action against such anti-social elements,” the PM said, adding they should also check whether some people are settling personal scores in the name of cow vigilantism.

Seeking the support of the opposition parties in tackling “communal violence” in the name of cow protection, Modi also warned against giving a political or communal colour to the issue.

The Opposition simultaneously challenged the Centre on issues that underline a deteriorating internal security situation, including the recent attack on Amarnath pilgrims.

Speaking to the media, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad held the Centre squarely responsible for the “suffocation” of the peace process in Kashmir. “All the roads for talks have been closed by the government. There is political suffocation in Kashmir, the ventilator to breathe has been shut,” Azad said.

He said the stand-off with China will also be raised in Parliament. “This situation has been created by China. It is a matter of country’s security and we will raise it Parliament,” he said.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said his party has already given a notice for discussion on the “alarming rise in incidents of lynching” by cow vigilantes.

“They (cow vigilantes) must be vigorously opposed and action taken to restore faith of all Indians in our Constitution,” he said.

Legislative business According to Yechury, this is probably the shortest Monsoon Session in India’s parliamentary history — it starts on July 17 and ends on August 11. “For this session, the government has given a list of 16 new Bills, while there are already 10 Bills pending in Rajya Sabha and eight in Lok Sabha. In addition, the government also wants supplementary grants to be discussed. This is impossible, unless the government plans to pass all these bills and grants in the din minus any discussion,” he said.

Fight the battle Addressing a meeting of Opposition leaders on Sunday, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said the numbers may be against their candidates for the President and Vice-President’s post, the “battle must be fought” to protect the highest Constitutional offices in the country.

“We must not let India be held hostage to those who wish to impose upon it a narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision. We must stand more aware than ever of who we are, what we fought for in our Independence struggle and what future we want for ourselves. We must have confidence in the values we believe in,” she said.

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