Opposition spurns government's 'selective invitation'

After rejecting the government's "selective approach" for discussing the MPs' suspension issue, the block of the Congress and other like-minded opposition parties on Monday did not send any representative to the peace meet to which the parliamentary affairs minister had extended invitations. Instead, they decided to intensify their agitation in the remaining few days of the session, even as they decided to unitedly oppose and seek parliamentary committee scrutiny into the contentious bills such as those seeking to increase the legal age limit for marriage of women and for linking Aadhaar to voting.

After the government started pushing bills through in the Lok Sabha, opposition protests and demands are likely to get shriller in the Rajya Sabha, where it has comparatively better numerical strength. In anticipation of the government pushing these bills, the opposition MPs are planning resistance. The Congress issued a whip to its MPs, asking them to be present in the House throughout Tuesday.

The opposition floor leaders meeting at the leader of opposition's office unanimously insisted that either the government invite all opposition parties to such a discussion or it would get none to the negotiation table. They said the government, having kept the 12 MPs suspended for three weeks of the session, was only trying to manage the optics by extending selective invitations when only a few more days of the session were left. Therefore, the opposition MPs not only continued to protest in both the Houses on a range of issues, including the suspension row and the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and forced adjournments, but also resolved to stage a joint demonstration of their members in both the Houses on Tuesday from Parliament complex to Vijay Chowk.


The opposition leaders said it was the responsibility of the government to ensure both the Houses functioned smoothly by lifting the suspension of the MPs, sacking minister Ajay Mishra and holding discussions on the bills as well on the issues the opposition was pressing for.

One of the suspended MPs, Binoy Vishwam of the CPI, said, "The entire opposition floor leaders at Monday's meeting were unanimous in rejecting the government's pick and choose attitude even in its token show of inviting select opposition leaders for discussions. The only intention of the government is to foil proper discussions."