NDA's 'Mangal Milan' meet: Newly formed NCPI attends for first time

The NDA's 'Mangal Milan' meeting, attended by PM Modi, saw the debut of new ally NCPI. Held amid a stormy Monsoon Session, the meeting focuses on the Exam Reforms Bill and countering Opposition protests over alleged police action on students.

The NDA Parliamentary Party's 'Mangal Milan' meeting began in Parliament on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other NDA leaders in attendance. For the first time, the newly formed Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) has also been invited to join the alliance meeting. The meeting will take place at 9:30 am in the GMC Balayogi Auditorium, Parliament Library Building. This is the first time that former TMC rebels now with NCPI will attend the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting today. NCPI MPs including Sudeep Bandopadhyay, Kakoli Ghosh, Shatabdi Roy, Sharmila Sarkar, Mitali Bagh and others are expected to be present.

NDA Meets Amid Stormy Monsoon Session

The NDA's weekly 'Mangal Milan' is taking place during a stormy Monsoon Session. Exam reforms and Opposition protests over alleged police action on students are among the major issues. The meeting, comes after the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh amid continuous sloganeering by Opposition members, forcing the House to be adjourned.

Focus on Exam Reforms Bill

The proposed legislation seeks to strengthen the legal framework against paper leaks and examination malpractices through seven major amendments to the 2024 Act. It provides for time-bound investigations and trials, Special Fast-Track Courts, Special Task Forces, Special Public Prosecutors, enhanced punishments, higher financial penalties and a streamlined appeals mechanism. The NDA has lined up several young Members of Parliament to participate in the four-hour discussion on the Bill, including BJP MPs Bansuri Swaraj and Tejasvi Surya. Other speakers are expected to include JDU's Alok Kumar Suman, TDP's Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Shiv Sena's Shrikant Shinde, NCP's Sunil Tatkare, Apna Dal's Anupriya Patel, LJP (Ram Vilas)'s Arun Bharti, along with allies Sharmila Sarkar and Mitali Bagh.

Meeting Assumes Significance Amid Opposition Protests

The meeting assumes significance as the Opposition has continued to disrupt Parliament, demanding accountability from Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the alleged police action during the July 20 'Sansad Chalo' protest and questioning the effectiveness of the proposed legislation. At the previous NDA Parliamentary Party 'Mangal Milan' meeting on July 21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that the government "stands with the students" and stressed that paper leaks were a matter of national concern that should not be politicised. Addressing reporters after that meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Prime Minister had called for strict action against those involved in examination irregularities in consultation with legal experts and reiterated that protecting students' interests remained the government's priority. He also highlighted the government's focus on farmers' welfare while discussing recently signed Free Trade Agreements with various countries.

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