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'Duty to invite everyone': Centre on Opposition storm over TMC rebels at all-party meeting
The Opposition staged a symbolic walkout from the all-party meeting to protest the invitation extended to TMC rebels.
Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday defended the Centre's decision to invite rebel leaders of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the all-party meeting held ahead of Parliament's Monsoon Session 2026.
The Monsoon Session of Parliament will begin on Monday and conclude August 13.
"It is the government's duty to invite everyone," said Rijiju. He further stated, “NCPI requested recognition from the LS Speaker; how can you ignore it,” adding that, speaking about the Opposition's protests over the invitation to TMC rebels.
“We appealed to everyone to work together for the country. Many political parties put forward their views. We have heard them and taken note of them. Several suggestions were made, and we have noted those as well. It is natural for different opinions to emerge in an all-party meeting. In a parliamentary democracy, every party has the complete freedom to express its views, and we have listened to them,” the minister said.
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What happened in the all-party meet?
The all-party meeting convened by the government ahead of the Monsoon Session on Sunday saw the Opposition parties staging a symbolic walkout over the invitation to rebel TMC MPs.
There was also reportedly a demand for a discussion on the issues of NEET paper leak, Ram temple donation 'theft', and E20 fuel. However, the Opposition MPs returned soon to the meeting.
Meanwhile, TMC MP Mahua Moitra said the entire opposition, including the Congress, the Samajwadi Party, DMK, JMM, Aam Aadmi Party, National Conference, Left parties, Shiv Sena (UBT), walked out of the meeting.
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After the symbolic walkout, Moitra said, “Today the entire opposition, all parties including the Indian National Congress, the Samajwadi Party, the DMK, the JMM, the Aam Aadmi Party, the National Conference, the Left Parties, the Shiv Sena UPT have all walked out of the all-party meeting in protest because the so-called Nationalist Citizens Party of India, is an unrecognised party, yet they have been given separate standing despite the official list from the Table Office showing the total strength of the All India Trinamool Congress as 28 members.”
"These so-called rebel 20 MPs' merger has not been approved by the Speaker. The 20 disqualification petitions are still pending. After the 91st amendment, there is no room for a separate block. So, on what grounds did the Parliamentary Affairs Minister extend an invitation to these 20 rebel MPs, and how are they attending this meeting? We have walked out as a symbol of our protest," she added.
