Parliamentary Affairs minister Kiren Rijiju will hold an all-party meeting on July 21, a day before Parliament's Monsoon Session is scheduled to commence, the ministry said on Tuesday.
“Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju will hold a meeting with floor leaders of political parties in both the houses of the Parliament, ahead of the Budget Session of Parliament. The meeting will be held at 11 am at Main Committee Room, Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi,” a statement by the ministry read.
“Subject to exigencies of Government Business, the session may conclude on 12th August,” the statement added.
Significantly, this will be the maiden all-party meeting for Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, now the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, if he attends; an all-party meeting is held on the eve of each parliamentary session.
The Monsoon session will be the first full session of Parliament since the April-June general elections, in which the ruling BJP won its third consecutive term at the Centre, though it missed out on its third straight single-party majority. A special session was held from June 24 to July 3.
Also, on July 22, the BJP-led NDA government will present the first full Budget of its third term, having tabled an interim budget on February 1, the customary date for Budget presentation.
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Trinamool Congress to skip meeting
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, will not attend the meeting due to the party's ‘Martyrs’ Day,' observed on July 21 each year.
{{/usCountry}}The Trinamool Congress (TMC) of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, will not attend the meeting due to the party's ‘Martyrs’ Day,' observed on July 21 each year.
{{/usCountry}}Derek O' Brien, TMC's parliamentary party leader in Rajya Sabha, wrote to Union minister Rijiju, and informed him that his party will not be able to attend the meeting.
“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 a police firing on the day in 1993. Therefore, no TMC MP will be able to attend the meeting as we will be in our home state to mark the day,” O'Brien stated in his letter.
(With PTI inputs)