NEW DELHI: Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday defended the government’s decision to invite the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) to the all-party meeting, questioning the opposition’s protest and asking how the party’s request for recognition could be ignored.His remarks came after several opposition parties staged a symbolic walkout from the all-party meeting ahead of the Monsoon Session, protesting the invitation extended to 20 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs who have formed the NCPI. The opposition leaders later rejoined the meeting, saying the walkout was meant to register their protest.Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Rijiju said the government had acted according to parliamentary norms.“NCPI requested recognition from the Lok Sabha Speaker. How can you ignore it?” he said while responding to questions on the opposition’s protest over inviting the rebel TMC MPs.Rijiju also defended the government’s decision to invite the NCPI to the meeting. “It is the government’s duty to invite everyone,” he said.The minister said eight bills have been listed for the Monsoon Session beginning Monday and added that any additional legislative business would be taken up in accordance with parliamentary norms.“We have listed eight bills for the Monsoon Session. If there is additional business, we will follow the norms,” he said.Appealing for cooperation, Rijiju said every political party has the right to express its views in a parliamentary democracy.“All parties have the right to speak in a parliamentary democracy. I urge them to give their positive support to the bills,” he said.He said the government had listened to the views and suggestions put forward by different parties during the meeting.“All parties should work together for the nation. We have heard their views and noted their suggestions. It is natural for different opinions to emerge in an all-party meeting. In a parliamentary democracy, every party has the complete freedom to express its views, and we have listened to them,” Rijiju said.Commenting on the opposition’s protest, the minister said it was only a symbolic gesture.“I believe all opposition parties will act sensibly and allow the proceedings to run properly. It should not be viewed as a boycott of the entire day’s proceedings; it was symbolic,” he said.“We discuss matters based on the numerical strength of political parties, but we certainly cannot deprive anyone of their rights,” he added.The symbolic walkout was led by several opposition parties after Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla approved separate seating for the 20 rebel TMC MPs who have formed the NCPI.TMC MP Mahua Moitra questioned the move, arguing that the Speaker had not approved the merger of the rebel MPs and that disqualification petitions against them were still pending.“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. 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?” she asked.Senior TMC leader Saugata Roy also objected to the invitation, while NCPI leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay defended his party’s participation, saying it had attended the meeting after receiving an official invitation from the government.Rijiji on Saturday had invited rebel TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay and 19 other Lok Sabha MPs, who have joined the National Citizens Party of India (NCPI), to attend the customary all-party meeting ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, while also recognising Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar as the party’s chief whip for the purpose of the meeting.The Monsoon Session of the parliament will begin on July 20 and will continue till August 13.
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