'Growing Stronger Together' Another Name For GST Spirit, Says PM Narendra Modi

New Delhi: As he headed to Parliament this morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Monsoon session will be "a good one," and thanked all parties for helping launch the mega tax reform, Goods and Services Tax or GST. "Growing Stronger Together is the other name for the GST spirit," he said.

When GST was launched on July 1, PM Modi had coined the phrase "Good and Simple Tax".

The Prime Minister said he hoped the same spirit of cooperation would mark the session which begins today. It was an important session, the Prime Minister said, as the country celebrates important milestones including 70 years of Independence this month and will soon have a new President and Vice President.

"That is why the nation's eyes will be on this session. I am confident that all parties, all MPs will take important decisions and engage in quality debate, ensure value addition in thinking and work," he said.

PM Modi was among the first to vote in Parliament for the presidential election that the ruling BJP-led NDA's candidate, former Governor Ram Nath Kovind, is set to win easily. The opposition has fielded Meira Kumar, a former Lok Sabha Speaker.
 Opposition parties have said they will unite to attack the government in the Monsoon session on issues like GST - which many of them said was launched in a hurry and without adequate preparation - and recent attacks by cow vigilantes.

PM Modi, in an all-party meeting yesterday, spoke out strongly against cow vigilantism and said states should take action against them. There is an "attempt to give communal colour to cow vigilantism and other incidents and derive political mileage," he said.

Opposition parties also plan to raise farmers' protests.

"We pay tribute to our farmers who work very hard in this season for the country," said PM Modi.

The Monsoon session ends on August 11.