'Why meet in conference room': TMC skips all-party meeting called by Modi govt over West Asia situation

New Delhi: Trinamool Congress on Wednesday did not attend the all-party meeting convened by the Modi government to discuss West Asia situation with the party questioning why there is no discussion in Parliament when it is in session and holding a meeting in a “conference room”.

The Mamata Banerjee-led party refused to give names of its leaders for the meeting when the government managers approached them even as all other Opposition parties decided to join the meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, sources said.

Trinamool Rajya Sabha Deputy Leader Sagarika Ghose said MPs were not allowed to seek clarifications or raise questions after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made speeches in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on the West Asia situation following the Israel-US war on Iran.

“When the Parliament is in session, why are you calling a meeting in a conference room? Why do you want to avoid Parliament? Parliament is where you have to be accountable. This is mocking, undermining Parliament,” she said.

Trinamool has been on a warpath with the ruling BJP, especially against the backdrop of the Assembly elections in West Bengal where the saffron party is the principal challenger to them. It also did not accept the Modi government’s invite for discussing the early implementation of 33 per cent women’s quota.

Leaders of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge (Rajya Sabha) and Rahul Gandhi (Lok Sabha) are also not attending the meeting owing to pre-occupations. Congress chose senior leaders Mukul Wasnik and Tariq Anwar as its representative for the meeting.

Kharge left for Kozhikode to address an election rally as Rahul, who was initially scheduled to fly to Kerala, chose to stay back in Delhi to be at the side of his mother Sonia Gandhi, who is admitted to a hospital.

The Opposition has also raised the issue of Prime Minister Narendra Modi not chairing the meeting. A senior Opposition leader said it was not right to call it an all-party meeting as the invite is "only for a briefing" on the situation in West Asia.

Congress Lok Sabha Whip Manickam Tagore told reporters, "Whenever such meetings are held during serious issues, prime ministers -- whether Manmohan Singh, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, or PV Narasimha Rao -- have always attended. This is the first time the prime minister is not participating, which is unfortunate."