TMC slams Centre for not holding Parliamentary panel's meets virtually

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday lashed out at the BJP-led Centre for demolishing norms of Parliament by not convening Parliamentary Committee meetings virtually despite building the Central Vista.

Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP, Derek O'Brien, tweeted: "Build Central Vista, but DEMOLISH #Parliament norms. Why? Since July 2020 Trinamool have written 3 letters to allow Parliament Committee meetings to be held VIRTUALLY. Other Oppn parties also wrote. Not allowing virtual meetings means Oppn can't hold GOI accountable #COVID19."

It needs a mention that O'Brien wrote to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and LS Speaker Om Birla urging them to let Parliamentary Committee meetings be held virtually in a bid to address issues related to public interest during the ongoing Covid pandemic. This was O'Brien's third letter after July 22 and August 3 in 2020 in this regard.

However, O'Brien received a reply in this regard on May 14 in which he was informed that "in a similar situation during the first wave of the Covid pandemic, Rajya Sabha Chairman and Lok Sabha Speaker had decided in a meeting that the matter regarding holding of virtual meetings of the Parliamentary Committees vis-a-vis existing provisions and confidentiality of the proceedings of the committees may be referred to the Committee on Rules in both the Houses".

The letter received by O'Brien further reads: "As physical meetings of the Committees were being held regularly, following the guidelines strictly, the matter rested there and the situation had not risen for considering the matter by the Rules Committees in both the Houses. The meetings of the Committees can be considered shortly once the situation improves further. The issue of confidentiality can be resolved during the Session as any amendment to the Rules can be approved by the respective Houses only after the matter is considered by the Rules Committees."