Govt Convenes All-Party Meet Ahead of Monsoon Session of Parliament

New Delhi: Ahead of commencement of Monsoon Session of Parliament tomorrow, BJP-led Central government convened an All-Party meet at the Parliament Annexe on Sunday. The agenda of the meeting was to discuss the issues the Opposition would like to have for discussion during the Parliament session. 

At the meeting, Opposition parties questioned the government on the conspicuous absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh questioned why the Prime Minister did not attend the meeting and asked if it was not ‘unparliamentary’. 

“All Party Meeting to discuss forthcoming session of Parliament has just begun and the Prime Minister as usual is absent. Isn’t this ‘unparliamentary’?” Ramesh wrote in his tweet. 

All Party Meeting to discuss forthcoming session of Parliament has just begun and the Prime Minister as usual is absent. Isn’t this ‘unparliamentary’?

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) July 17, 2022

It is customary for the Prime Minister to call and hold an all-party meet for the smooth functioning of parliament. But PM Modi was absent today. This is the second time the PM skipped such a meeting. The last time PM Modi skipped the meet ahead of the budget session. 

प्रधानमंत्री Absent..

संसद के मानसून सत्र से पहले सरकार द्वारा बुलाई गई सर्वदलीय बैठक में प्रधानमंत्री श्री नरेंद्र मोदी नही पहुंचे। pic.twitter.com/8vZB2tzjwi

— INC TV (@INC_Television) July 17, 2022

The Opposition parties were also seen raising issues like the recently issued list of unparliamentary words as well as the circular by Rajya Sabha which prevents the lawmakers from holding dharnas and protests in Parliament complex. 

Issues like the delay in clearance of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's visit to Singapore, the Agnipath short service scheme for the armed Forces, inflation, unemployment and the alleged misuse of federal structure by the Centre were also raised in the meeting. 

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Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi urged the Opposition parties to ensure smooth functioning of parliament. Responding to Jairam Ramesh’s tweet, Joshi pointed out that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had given a miss to many such meets.