'Miscarriage of justice': Opposition stages symbolic walk-out from all-party meeting over invitation to 20 rebel TMC MPs
The Opposition boycotted the all-party meeting after the government invited 20 rebel TMC MPs to the meeting on Sunday, July 19, ahead of Parliament's Monsoon
The Opposition boycotted the all-party meeting after the government invited 20 rebel TMC MPs to the meeting on Sunday, July 19, ahead of Parliament's Monsoon Session. They said the move was against the norms and the TMC rebel MPs' merger into "so-called NCPI" has not been approved by the Lok Sabha Speaker. Opposition leaders who had staged a walkout from the all-party meeting later rejoined the meeting, describing their walkout as a symbolic protest, news agency ANI reported. "Today, the entire opposition including Congress, the Samajwadi Party, DMK, JMM, Aam Aadmi Party, Conference, Left parties, Shiv Sena UBT have all walked out of the all party meeting in protest because the so-called NCPI, which is an unrecognized party, the strength of the All India Trinamool Congress in the list provided by the table office is shown to be 28 members. These so-called rebel 20 MPs, their merger has not been approved by the Speaker," TMC leader Mahua Moitra said. "The 20 disqualification petitions are still pending. After the 91st amendment, there is no room for a separate bloc," Moitra said, asking, "...on what grounds did the Parliamentary Affairs Minister extend an invitation to these 20 rebel MPs and how are they attending this meeting?" "We have registered our strong protest and walked out as a symbol of our protest.
And we thank all our opposition parties," the TMC leader added. 'Miscarriage of justice' According to PTI, CPM leader John Brittas called invitation to rebel TMC MPs to all-party meet "miscarriage of justice." Meanwhile, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X, “All Opposition parties staged a walkout from the All-Party meeting for a few minutes. This was a mark of protest against the decision of the Modi Govt to invite the NCPI that is a parking place for 20 so-called ‘rebel’ TMC MPs when a final decision is still pending with the Speaker.” TMC rebels: 'Speaker has accepted us' One of the TMC rebels, Lok Sabha MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, said, "Our 20 MPs have merged with NCPI. The Speaker has accepted us and will make arrangements to give us separate seats." Another rebel Sudip Bandyopadhyay said, "We were invited, and we attended — representing the new party with 20 MPs." Explaining the stance of the rebel leaders, Bandyopadhyay said, "Our stance is that the House belongs to the Opposition; this must be acknowledged." "The government, too, must agree and take the initiative to ensure the House functions smoothly," he said, adding, "...we are committed to our party's principles: secularism, communal harmony, and national unity." "These are the firm policies enshrined in the NCPI's constitution.
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