TMC cites martyrs’ day, says no MP will attend all-party meet
Times of India | 17 July 2024
Kolkata: Trinamool will skip the all-party meeting convened on July 21 owing to the Shahid Diwas (martyrs’ day) rally being organised in the city, like every year, on that day. The party has informed Union minister of parliamentary affairs Kiren Rijiju that no TMC MP will be able to attend the meet.
TMC’s parliamentary party leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien wrote to Rijiju about the party’s decision.“For 30 years now, 21st July has been observed as martyrs’ day in Bengal in honour of our 13 colleagues who were unlawfully killed in police firing on that day in 1993,” he said. “In this context, all MPs of All India Trinamool Congress, including myself, will be in our home state to mark the day along with other party colleagues. Therefore, no MP will be able to attend the meeting.”
Rijiju will hold this customary session-eve gathering at 11 am on July 21 at the main committee room in Parliament House Annexe. The monsoon session of Parliament is set to begin on July 22 and will conclude on Aug 12, with the Budget presentation scheduled for July 23.
The development came on a day TMC reminded the two biggest national parties — BJP and Congress — of “ground realities”. Trinamool also indicated that it would be combative inside Parliament, taking advantage of BJP’s weakening position in both Houses after a gap of almost 10 years.
“For the first time in 10 years, BJP has lost the majority in both Houses of Parliament. In the Rajya Sabha, even the NDA doesn’t have a majority. Rajya Sabha: Majority mark (currently): 113, BJP seats: 86 (27 short) NDA seats: 101 (12 short). Lok Sabha: Majority mark: 272, BJP seats: 240 (32 short),” TMC’s Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale posted on X. “Modi’s arrogance has been crushed by INDIA. This Budget session is a good opportunity for Modi & BJP to learn how to behave themselves & build consensus. If not, INDIA will be ready to teach them how accountability works.”
Gokhale delivered a message for Congress and Left too, reminding them of TMC’s “consistent” success against BJP in Bengal. “We are proud constituents of the INDIA alliance at the national level. That has always been clear. But it’s a little unfair when Congress & its ally CPM field 2+2 candidates against us in Bengal in all 4 seats during the bypolls and then turn around & suddenly say “INDIA won 10 seats”. The same happened during Lok Sabha & now again during the bypolls,” he wrote.