Parliament Monsoon Session Begins today (Img: IANS)
New Delhi: The Congress, Samajwadi Party and the Trinamool Congress boycotted the customary tea party hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after the House was adjourned sine die, marking another sign of the continuing political divide between the government and Opposition. The tea party, organised at the conclusion of the parliamentary session, was attended by the entire NDA alliance along with several non-NDA parties and other political groups.
In a contrasting development, senior Opposition leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Sonia Gandhi, attended the customary tea party hosted by Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan.
According to sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and several other senior ministers and leaders were present at the tea party hosted in the Lok Sabha Speaker’s chamber. The event traditionally serves as an opportunity for leaders across political parties to interact informally after the conclusion of a parliamentary session.
A senior Congress leader said the decision to boycott the Lok Sabha event by the Congress, Samajwadi Party and Trinamool Congress was a mark of protest against the government’s handling of issues raised during the Monsoon Session. He said that since day one, the Opposition was engaged in a battle royal with the government over several issues, including student protests, alleged police action on protestors and Ram Mandir donation theft. The Opposition alleged that repeated disruptions resulted in the Houses being adjourned multiple times during the session.
Separate tea parties were hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan in their respective chambers after both Houses were adjourned sine die. The developments came at the end of a 19-day Monsoon Session that witnessed frequent disruptions and sharp political exchanges between the ruling alliance and Opposition parties.
