Kolkata: A majority of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs above the age of 65 years are likely to skip the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament. The TMC MPs will do so to avoid the risk of contracting COVID-19, party sources said. There has been no such official communication by the Trinamool Congress leadership in this regard. However, sources said MPs over 65 years of age have been advised not to attend the session.
Sudip Bandopadhyay is the 67-year-old Lok Sabha MP from Kolkata (Uttar). He he would coordinate from here with his party colleagues in the Lower House.
“I won’t be attending the Parliament session as I am above 65, and vulnerable. I will be coordinating with my party colleagues in the Lok Sabha,” Bandopadhyay said.
TMC chief whip and party’s Rajya Sabha MP, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, too, said he won’t be attending the session. Roy cited the Unlock-4 guidelines by the Union Home Ministry for taking such a decision. The guidelines have advised persons aged above 65 to stay at home except for emergencies.
“I won’t be there as I am 71 years old. I will abide by the Unlock-4 guidelines. I have already written to the Rajya Sabha chairman informing him about my decision,” said Roy.
Senior TMC leader and Dum Dum MP Saugata Roy, however, did not want to give the parliamentary proceedings a miss.
“There is no blanket rule from the party. If anybody above 65 years is willing to attend, he or she can. I will attend the session,” Roy said.
The Parliament’s monsoon session will begin September 14 and continue till October 1.
Hectic preparations are underway for the session with several first-time measures being taken because of the COVID- 19 pandemic. Testing of MPs, staggered sitting arrangements in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and use of both chambers and galleries to accommodate the members are some of the measures taken.