India / Opposition boycotts 5-party meet called by govt over suspension of 12 MPs

New Delhi: In an attempt to thaw the logjam in Parliament, the Centre invited 5 Opposition parties whose Rajya Sabha  MPs were suspended on Monday. This proposal was rejected by the Opposition, maintaining that the government should call an all-party meeting. 12 Opposition MPs were suspended from Rajya Sabha on disciplinary grounds for the Winter session.

"The Govt has called for a meeting of 5 Opposition parties on the suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs. This is a conspiracy to divide the Opposition. All Opposition parties are united on this issue. We've written to the Govt to call an all-party meetin, said LoP Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge. Currently, Opposition parties are holding a meeting to decide whether to attend or not the meeting called by the Government on suspension of 12 MPs.

Similarly, RJD MP Manoj Jha said, "This is not any step by govt. Govt doesn't want to run the session, that is why they have called only 5 parties. This step by Centre is half-hearted, showing they have no interest". 

On the other hand, Shiv Sena - whose 2 MPs are suspended outright rejected the meeting offer. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said, "We will not attend the meeting called by the Government. We will demand the resignation of MoS Home Ajay Kumar Misra and revocation of suspension of 12 Opposition MPs in Rajya Sabha. We will not let both Houses of Parliament function".

Rueing the logjam, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi lamented, "We want to talk to the Opposition parties whose Rajya Sabha MPs are suspended to find a solution. They (Opposition) are boycotting the meeting, they also boycotted Constitution Day event. They should understand that the public is also boycotting them". The Centre has urged the 12 MPs to issue an apology to revoke their suspension, which has been rejected by the Opposition.

12 Opposition MPs suspended

On November 29 - first day of Winter Session - the Rajya Sabha suspended 12 members on the grounds of indiscipline, referring to the ruckus that had been caused during the Monsoon Session of the Parliament. The 12 MPs - CPM's Elamaram Kareem, Congress' Phulo Devi Netam, Chhaya Verma, Ripun Bora, Rajamani Patel, Syed Nasir Hussain, Akhilesh Prasad Singh, CPI's Binoy Viswam, TMC's Dola Sen & Shanta Chhetri, Shiv Sena's Priyanka Chaturvedi & Anil Desai were suspended for the ruckus they did in the previous session. The opposition has issued a joint statement calling the move 'unwarranted' and 'undemocratic'.

Earlier on August 11, during the last day of the Monsoon Session, massive ruckus occurred in Rajya Sabha with Opposition parties accusing marshals of manhandling women parliamentarians in the Upper House. The MPs climbed on the officials' tables, waved black cloths and threw files at the Chair in protest. Objecting to the presence of security personnel during the passage of the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill, 2021, the opposition staged a walkout.