Parliament impasse: Oppn slams Centre’s talk invite to four parties

The Centre’s attempts to hold backdoor talks with the Opposition to end the stalemate in the Parliament may not bear fruit as leaders of Congress and Trinamool Congress have asserted that they will not end their protest if the government doesn’t revoke the suspension of 12 MPs.

Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu on Friday had invited leaders of four Opposition parties, all those whose MPs have been suspended, to hold talks with the government to break the impasse in the Parliament since the Winter Session began on November 29.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge, however, has called the invitation to just four parties “unfair”.

Also read: The curious case of TRS, BJP and Congress-led Opposition unity

“All Opposition parties are united in the protest against the suspension of the 12 MPs. We have been requesting from the evening of November 29 itself that either the chairman of the Rajya Sabha or the Leader of the House Shri Piyush Goyal call leaders of all Opposition parties for a discussion to break the stalemate. This reasonable request of ours has not been agreed to, further inviting only leaders of four Opposition parties instead of inviting leaders of all Opposition parties is unfair and unfortunate,” he tweeted.

Slamming the government for leaving out almost 10 parties from the meeting, Trinamool Congress leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien has called the initiative a “failed stunt”.

“Monday morning stunt from a govt. who do not want Parliament to function. Govt calls leaders of the 4 Oppn parties whose 12 RS MPs have been arbitrarily suspended. Govt leaves other 10 Oppn parties out. Failed stunt. All Oppn clear: first revoke arbitrary suspension,” O’Brien tweeted.

The Opposition will meet Monday to decide its future course of action.

Leaders of the Opposition have been protesting the suspension of 12 MPs by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi for “unruly behaviour” during the last session of Parliament.

While the Opposition has been demanding the revocation of the suspension, the government has refused to relent.

Also read: Why Trinamool rebuffing Congress unity overtures looks good for BJP

The government, however, has accepted the Opposition’s stance that under Rajya Sabha rules the MPs cannot be suspended in the current session for their behaviour in the last session.