New Delhi [India], July 19 : Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said all Opposition parties walked out of the all-party meeting convened ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament in protest against the Centre's decision to invite the National Citizens Party of India (NCPI) to the meeting.
In a post on X, Ramesh said the Opposition objected to the participation of the NCPI, claiming it was a "parking place" for the 20 "rebel" Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs whose status is yet to be decided by the Lok Sabha Speaker.
"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," Ramesh wrote.
Opposition parties on Sunday staged a symbolic walkout from the all-party meeting convened by the Centre ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, protesting Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju's invitation to the National Citizens Party of India (NCPI) to participate in the meeting.
The Opposition leaders later rejoined the meeting, describing the walkout as a mark of protest.
The Opposition alleged that inviting the "so-called NCPI" was against parliamentary norms, claiming that the merger of the rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs had not been approved by the Lok Sabha Speaker.
Addressing reporters, TMC MP Mahua Moitra said the Opposition had registered its strong protest against the government's decision.
"Today, the entire Opposition, including Congress, the Samajwadi Party, DMK, JMM, Aam Aadmi Party, National Conference, Left parties and Shiv Sena (UBT), walked out of the all-party meeting in protest because the so-called NCPI, which is an unrecognised 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," Moitra said.
She further claimed that disqualification petitions against the rebel MPs were still pending and questioned the basis on which they had been invited to the meeting.
"The 20 disqualification petitions are still pending. After the 91st Amendment, there is no room for a separate bloc. So 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. We thank all our Opposition parties," she said.
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said the party participated in the walkout to uphold the Constitution.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant also backed the protest, questioning the recognition accorded to the rebel MPs.
"The affiliation granted to them (rebel MPs), where is that term in the books of law? We too have protested against it and walked out of the House," Sawant told ANI.
His remarks came after six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs merged with the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde ahead of the Monsoon Session.
AAP Rajya Sabha MP ND Gupta alleged that a similar situation had arisen in his party's case and accused the government of undermining democratic norms.
"In our case, of 10 MPs of the Rajya Sabha, seven have been hijacked and our petition to decide whether this is valid or not is pending. In spite of this fact, they have allotted independent separate seats in the Rajya Sabha. This is hijack and murder of democracy," Gupta said.
The Monsoon Session of Parliament is scheduled to be held from July 20 to August 13.