At least 8 Opposition parties boycott PM meet on Covid-19

The government has called the meeting of floor leaders of all parties on the Covid-19 management

At least eight Opposition parties, including Congress, CPI(M) and AAP, on Tuesday "boycotted" or "refused" to attend a meeting on Covid-19 called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that such deliberations should be held in Parliament and not outside when the House is in Session.

The non-attendance of these parties, which also includes CPI, Akali Dal, RJD, Muslim League and Kerala Congress, exposed the chinks in the Opposition ranks on the issue even as they appeared on board against the idea of such a meeting for floor leaders outside when Parliament is in Session.

Parties attending the meeting include Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena, NCP, JD(S), BSP and RSP among others from the Opposition benches. Others include AIADMK, TRS, YSR Congress, BJD, JD(U), LJP, NDPP and Tamil Manila Congress among others.

Among those prominent leaders attending the meeting are former Prime Minister Deve Gowda, Trinamool Congress' Sudip Bandhyopadhay and Derek O'Brien and NCP's Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule.

When Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi had convened the meeting, almost all Opposition parties were on the same page that such deliberations outside the House were improper and conveyed that they were not in favour of such a meeting. However, sources said, the government took a step for a discussion in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, just before the Prime Minister's meeting which prompted a re-think among a section of the parties.

Also, sources said, the government made some amendments to the programme by making it as a briefing by Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan.

Announcing that the Congress would not be attending the programme, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said the Congress is "not boycotting the meeting, but it will not attend" as it wants the government to present the facts in Parliament.

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal said his party would attend any such meeting only after Modi calls a meeting to discuss farm issues.

CPI(M) Rajya Sabha floor leader Elamaram Kareem told DH, "We boycotted the meeting. It is not proper for the PM to call such a meeting and brief about issues outside Parliament when it is in Session."

CPI's Binoy Viswam, who also boycotted the event, described the meeting as "a gimmick to fool people".