TMC levels big charge after Parliamentary panel snub, seeks PM Modi's intervention

Alleging that it had been denied the chairmanship of a Parliamentary Committee by BJP in a tit-for-tat move, TMC sought the intervention of PM Modi. Speaking to the media on Thursday, TMC's Lok Sabha leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay said that his party wanted to know the reason for being snubbed in the latest reshuffle of the parliamentary panels. Bandyopadhyay, who chaired the Standing Committee of Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, was replaced by BJP MP Locket Chatterjee. According to him, this was a surprising move as TMC was the third-largest party in Lok Sabha. 

TMC's Sudip Bandyopadhyay observed, "It is most unfortunate on part of the Parliamentary democratic system of functioning. TMC is the third-largest party in Lok Sabha. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha combined, it is the second-largest party in opposition. Since the last two terms, I have been the chairman of the Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Standing Committee. But the bulletin which has been released the day before yesterday night, it has been found that TMC is not represented at any of the Standing Committee chairmanship. According to us, it is very surprising." 

He claimed, "A few days, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister telephoned me. He was telling me that because you do not give parliamentary committees in Bengal to BJP, this time we are not giving you any chairmanship. So, I was a little bit surprised. The Parliament is a very high-level place. Then, I spoke to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. So, he categorically told me that we have offered BJP 9 Standing Committees." 

Rejig of parliamentary panels

In the latest reconstitution of parliamentary panels on October 4, the chairpersons of several committees were changed. For instance, TRS and SP lost the chairmanship of the panel on Industry and Health respectively. Meanwhile, BJP got the chairmanship of the key parliamentary committees of Home Affairs, External Affairs, Defence and Finance. Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi who was the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Home Affairs will now head the panel on Commerce. While TMC was snubbed, DMK and JDU were given the chairmanship of one panel each.