Trinamool not to attend Parliament on Budget presentation day

It is reportedly upset over the arrest of its two MPs in connection with the Rose Valley Group chit fund scam.

Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had called a meeting of party MPs on Monday.

The Trinamool Congress, angry over the arrest of its MPs Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Tapas Pal by the CBI in connection with the Rose Valley Group chit fund scam, will not attend Parliament on February 1 when the Budget is presented, citing Saraswati Puja on that day as the reason.

The decision was taken after a meeting of Trinamool Congress parliamentary party at the residence of West Bengal Chief Minister and party chairperson Mamata Banerjee.

The party will also not attend the all-party meeting convened by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Monday evening ahead of the Budget session beginning on Tuesday.

Elaborating on the decision, TMC’s chief whip in the Lok Sabha Kalyan Banerjee said the decision has been taken on "two counts” — in protest against demonetisation and the "illegal arrest of its Lok Sabha leader" Sudip Bandhopadhyay and MP Tapas Paul.

Asked whether the party was “boycotting” these proceedings or just skipping them, party leader and MP Derek O’Brien said, “It is open for your interpretation“.

(With inputs from PTI)