AN ALL-PARTY meeting convened by the Government ahead of Parliament’s Monsoon Session on Sunday saw the entire Opposition staging a symbolic walkout over the invitation to rebel TMC MPs and a demand for a discussion on the issues of Ram temple donation ‘theft’, NEET paper leak and mixing of ethanol in petrol. Though the Opposition MPs returned soon to the meeting after protesting over what they termed was the “miscarriage of justice”, the walkout signalled a stormy Monsoon Session ahead. The Government on its part said it will listen to the Opposition and the Opposition should also listen to it. The Monsoon Session of Parliament will begin on Monday and will continue till August 13. “People of the country want Parliament to function smoothly. We also want this. By protesting, no one is going to benefit politically. That is why I request members of all political parties to take part in the proceedings wholeheartedly,” Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said. “If the Opposition protests and creates chaos, the country suffers a lot. That is why in the Monsoon Session, where several important legislations will come, the opposition should take part. If they want to oppose, they should oppose through debate, not by creating chaos and protests.

 

We will cooperate and hope they will also cooperate,” he said. After protests by the Opposition, the Government on Sunday defended the invitation extended to rebel TMC MPs, who had joined little-known NCPI, to an all-party meet, saying they cannot be ignored as they have petitioned the Lok Sabha Speaker for recognition and separate seats. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also said that the people of the country want smooth functioning of Parliament and ‘not any turmoil’ in the House, while urging all parties to ‘give their positive support to bills’. As the meeting started, 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 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”.