Price Rise, 'Unparliamentary Words' & Agnipath Row Discussed at All-Party Meet, Cong Questions PM's Absence

An all-party meeting was called on Sunday ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament where the opposition raised the issues including price rise, the row over ‘unparliamentary words’ and demanded the withdrawal of the Agnipath recruitment scheme.

Congress took strong objection to the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the meeting convened by the government. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh questioned the prime minister’s absence from the meeting.

“All Party Meeting to discuss forthcoming session of Parliament has just begun and the Prime Minister as usual is absent,” he said on Twitter. “Isn’t this unparliamentary’,” Ramesh asked.

It is customary for the Prime Minister to call and hold the meeting for the smooth functioning of the session.

The Congress leader also attacked the government over the Forest Rights Act. “Today in the all-party meeting many political parties, including those supporting NDA, pointed out the contradiction in the Modi Sarkar claiming credit for its Presidential candidate on the one hand and killing off the Forest Rights Act, 2006 on the other hand!” Jairam Ramesh added.

Union Parliamentary Affairs minister Pralhad Joshi said that 45 political parties were invited for the meeting, of which 36 parties attended.

“We invited 45 political parties of which 36 attended the all-party meeting. 36 leaders put forth their views, gave suggestions and demanded some issues to be discussed by government. Government is ready to discuss any issue in Parliament,” Joshi reportedly said.

Leaders of various parties attended the meeting convened by the government in Parliament House annexe to discuss the issues to be taken up during the Monsoon session and seek their cooperation for the smooth functioning of both houses of Parliament.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the meeting, while Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi, Arjun Meghwal and Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal were also present. Mallikarjun Kharge, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Jairam Ramesh represented the Congress in the meeting. The Monsoon session of Parliament will begin on July 18 and will end on August 12.

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