New Delhi: A day ahead of the monsoon session of parliament, the all-party meet saw the opposition staging a brief walkout in protest against the invitation issued to rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs – who have joined the little known regional party Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) – despite their disqualification pending before Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.During the meeting, the opposition’s agenda included demanding a discussion on question paper leaks, educationist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s forcible removal from Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, the Modi government’s silence over the Ram Temple donation embezzlement and ethanol blending in petrol. The opposition also demanded a discussion on delimitation amid speculation that the government will be bringing a reworked bill. The government on the other hand said that they had noted the opposition’s suggestions and if parties only raise slogans in the House, then it results in political damage.A stormy startThe meeting on Sunday got off to a stormy start after opposition members, including the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) staged a walkout in symbolic protest against the invitation issued to the TMC rebels. While the DMK did not attend the INDIA bloc meeting last month, The Wire has learnt that it walked out with the rest of the opposition.“Today, the entire opposition, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, DMK, JMM, AAP, NC, Left parties and Shiv Sena (UBT) all walked out in protest because of the so-called NCPI, which is an unrecognised party,” TMC MP Mahua Moitra told reporters.“The strength of the TMC is 28 members, and these so called 20 rebel MPs, their merger has not been approved by the speaker. Their disqualification is pending. After the 91st amendment there is no room for a separate block, so on what grounds did the parliamentary affairs minister extend an invitation to these rebel MPs?” she asked.Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said that the walkout was a “mark of protest against the decision of the Modi government to invite the NCPI, which is a parking place for 20 so-called ‘rebel’ TMC MPs, when a final decision is still pending with the speaker.”Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju however later told reporters that it is the government’s duty to invite everyone. “The NCPI requested recognition from the Lok Sabha Speaker; how can you ignore them? It is the government’s duty to invite everyone,” he said.‘BJP’s mergers and acquisitons’During the meeting, opposition members also raised the Bharatiya Janata Party’s moves to break smaller parties, with CPI(M) MP John Brittas calling it political “mergers and acquisition”. This as apart from the 20 rebel TMC MPs who have merged with the NCPI, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has also seen a split with 6 of its 9 MPs joining the Eknath Shinde Shiv Sena faction, and Birla recognising their merger on Saturday.“There was resentment, reservation, opposition regarding the way in which the opposition space is being taken away by the government. The government is adopting corporate techniques like acquisitions and mergers,” Brittas told The Wire.Opposition members also questioned the government’s silence on the Ram Temple donation embezzlement as well as on the ongoing protests against paper leaks and the manner in which Wangchuk was removed from the Cockroach Janta Party’s protest site in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Saturday.The opposition also raised the issue of ethanol blending in petrol, as well as the manner in which SIR is proceeding across the country. The Wire has learnt that the government only took note of the issues but did not respond.Amid speculation that the BJP is planning to reintroduce the Delimitation Bill following its failure to get it passed in April, the opposition members said that any such Bill should first be discussed with them. While there has been speculation around whether the DMK will support the government on the Bill following the break with the Congress – the latter ended the alliance following the Tamil Nadu assembly elections when it chose to ally with the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) – party MP Tiruchi Siva said that the DMK is always in support of women’s reservation but the government is yet to provide any clarity on delimitation.“If you are referring to the women’s reservation Bill, DMK is for it always. With regard to the delimitation Bill, the government has not come out with any clarity,” he told reporters.“Only the media is floating speculative news. The government should make [clarify] what is in their mind. Anything that is being done which will affect the southern states, DMK will never accept. In that case we have passed a resolution in the meeting of southern states’ chief ministers that the freeze on delimitation should be extended for another 25 years,” he added. Siva said that there is “no need for any confusion that DMK is supporting without knowing what stand we have taken.“I cannot answer on any speculation. Let the bill come out, we will clear our stand,” he added.Opp demands discussion on delimitationTMC MP in the Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien on Sunday separately wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding an all-party meeting.“Honourable Prime Minister before your government indulges in more cowboy legislation – like the Farm Bills which later had to be repealed – I urge you to convene an all-party meeting at the earliest,” he wrote.Earlier this week, Congress president and leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge also wrote to Modi demanding an all-party meeting on delimitation.Following the all-party meeting, Rijiju said that during the meeting chaired by Union defence minister Rajnath Singh, the government has noted the points raised by the opposition, but members in the House should also stick to speaking on the issues being discussed instead of raising slogans.“We appealed to everyone to work together for the country. The defence minister said the conflict in West Asia will have its impact on India and all political parties must work together for the country,” said Rijiju.“Many political parties put forward their views. We have heard them and taken note of them. At all-party meetings, various points are raised and in a democracy everyone can raise their points of view. Several suggestions were made, and we have noted those as well. We have appealed that the opposition cooperate with the government’s business to pass the bills. If parties don’t speak on issues but raise slogans then this results in political damage and offers no gains,” he added.