Suspended TMC MPs to stage sit-in dharna in Parliament, TMC says it will not apologise

Reacting to the suspension of the 12 MPs from the Rajya Sabha, Trinamool Congress (TMC) party on Tuesday said that the party is not going to apologize and the suspended TMC MPs Dola Sen and Shanta Chhetri will stage a sit-in demonstration in front of Gandhi statue from Wednesday till the end of the winter session.

Emphasizing that Opposition unity is very much intact, Derek O'Brien, TMC's parliamentary party leader in Rajya Sabha said but the party is neither duty-bound nor required a rubber stamp as TMC is not having an alliance government with any party.

While attending a press conference here in the national capital, Derek O'Brien, TMC's parliamentary party leader in Rajya Sabha said, "TMC is running a government in Bengal with 220 MLAs and we did not have an electoral alliance with any party. We do not have an alliance government with any party so anybody can have an approach."

On questioning what makes TMC not sign the joint statement, Derek said, "There may be some parties who are in alliance with other party but we are not we just fought election in May all alone. We are not duty-bound to be anybody's rubber stamp but we want opposition unity."

"The issues and approaches are common but the tactics may be different," said the leader.

"The Opposition what we have seen in the last two days is totally united in the Parliament when it comes to 'issues.' Issues like you cannot suspend members when you feel like... and many such."

Further Trinamool Congress party said that neither the party will write to the Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu nor it will seek an apology.

Derek said, "we are not writing to the Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, we are not going to say sorry".

The party also revealed that from tomorrow onwards both the suspended TMC MPs Dola Sen and Shanta Chhetri will stage a sit-in demonstration in front of Gandhi murti and others till the winter session of the Parliament wraps up on December 23.

It was earlier stated that 12 suspended opposition MPs will write to the Chairman of Rajya Sabha and argue against their suspension. They will also stage a sit-in protest before the Gandhi statue in Parliament tomorrow.

Moreover, Eight opposition party leaders led by Mallikarjun Kharge met Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu to request him to re-consider revocation of the suspension of 12 MPs.

According to sources, Chairman Naidu told them it was not possible without an apology from the suspended members of the House, sources.

Rajya Sabha on the first day of its business for the Winter Session on Monday suspended 12 of its members for the rest of the current session on account of 'unruly and violent behaviour' during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

The suspended MPs include six from Congress, two each from TMC and Shiv Sena and one each from CPM and CPI.

(ANI)