Mahua Moitra slams Govt for inviting rebel TMC MPs to all-party meet

Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra on Sunday questioned the Government’s decision to invite rebel TMC MPs to an all-party meeting on the Monsoon Session of Parliament and said it went out of its way “to recognise them” when the Lok Sabha Speaker has not yet decided on their status.

Moitra also made it clear that her party could approach the court if Speaker Om Birla does not disqualify the 20 “traitor” MPs. “Today, all opposition parties led by the TMC staged a walkout in protest against the Parliamentary Affairs Minister’s decision to invite the NCPI, which is an unrecognised party of 20 TMC traitors.

“The Speaker has not approved any merger. The TMC has filed 20 disqualification petitions, which are still pending. That has not been decided yet,” she told reporters after emerging from the all-party meeting here.

As many as 20 out of 28 TMC MPs revolted against the TMC leadership following its defeat in assembly elections in West Bengal and joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).

Rebel TMC MPs Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar attended the all-party meeting, drawing protests from the opposition parties, which staged a symbolic walkout. The opposition members later returned to participate in the meeting.

Moitra contended that the strength of the TMC “continues to be 28 MPs” and, if that is the case, on what basis the rebels were invited for the all-party meeting.

“The Speaker has neither approved the merger nor decided on our disqualification petitions. Then how can the parliamentary affairs minister invite them, decide to grant them this recognition. He has done it on his own, outside the office of the Speaker,” she said. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, however, defended the decision. “The NCPI requested recognition from the Lok Sabha Speaker; how can you ignore them? It is the Government’s duty to invite everyone,” Rijiju told reporters after the meeting.

The TMC MP said as of now, her party was awaiting the decision on the disqualification of the rebel MPs. She said there is no mention of NCPI in the list of parties provided by the Table Office of the Lok Sabha.

“There are 20 traitor TMC MPs awaiting disqualification. If you don’t disqualify them, we will go to the court,” she said.

When asked about the opposition parties’ stand, Bandyopadhyay said the NCPI is recognised by the Election Commission. “Whatever they are telling, let them say. Whatever the Lok Sabha Speaker has to say, only tomorrow the Parliament will open and you will find whose seat is where.”

On the TMC’s demand for disqualification of its 20 rebel MPs, he said it is up to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to decide.

Moitra said all political parties were unanimous in their opposition to the invitation extended to the NCPI and hence walked out of the meeting to register their protest.

“When we went back, all the opposition parties raised a few points. The issue of the NEET paper leaks -- there have been over 152 paper leaks in the last 10 years. About eight crore students were affected so far. We have raised the illegal arrest of Sonam Wangchuk. There is no outreach on the part of the Government to the peaceful protest,” she said.

The TMC MP said the issue of the “loot in the Ram Mandir” was also raised as emotions of crores of devotees across the country were tied to the Ram temple.

“It was a big loot. We have come to know that such loot has happened in the Badrinath temple also and other places of worship. There is total silence from the Government on it.

“The Ram temple was inaugurated by the prime minister. The ‘Pran Pratistha’ was done by the prime minister. When such a big thing has happened, how can they remain silent,” she asked.

Moitra said CPI(M) MP John Brittas raised the issue of ‘Operation Lotus’ and how the corporate terminology of mergers and acquisitions was allegedly used against political parties.

She alleged that a carrot-and-stick policy has been used to break every party.