India
pti-PTI
The entire opposition on Sunday staged a symbolic walk out from the all-party meeting convened here ahead of Parliament’s Monsoon Session to protest against the invitation extended to rebel TMC MPs.
The opposition also protested against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s decisions on the rebel TMC lawmakers, allowing them separate seats in the House and merger of the rebel Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs with the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Opposition parties staged a walkout from a pre-Monsoon Session all-party meeting protesting Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s decisions on seating rebel TMC MPs separately and approving the merger of rebel Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs.
“Opposition decided to walk out of all-party meeting to protest the Speaker’s decision on rebel MPs of TMC, Shiv Sena (UBT),” Congress leader Pramod Tiwari told reporters at Parliament House complex where the meeting is underway.
CPM leader John Brittas said the invitation to rebel TMC MPs to the all-party meet was a “miscarriage of justice”. The opposition members returned to the meeting venue after a brief period and participated the proceeding.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had on Saturday invited leader of the breakaway Trinamool Congress (TMC) group Sudip Bandyopadhyay to the customary all-party meeting ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, noting that he and 19 other MPs “have joined the National Citizens Party of India (NCPI)”. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had on Saturday approved separate seating for the 20 rebel TMC lawmakers, who have claimed to have joined a little-known party, NCPI.
The TMC rebel group of 20 MPs will be seated separately, away from the parent party, sources had said. No final decision has been taken on the demand of the rebel TMC MPs to be recognised as part of the NCPI, and the matter is still under consideration, they had said.
The TMC had demanded the disqualification of the rebel MPs. The all-party meeting is held before every session of Parliament to discuss the government’s legislative agenda and seek cooperation from political parties for the smooth conduct of proceedings.
