Owaisi questions exclusion from Pahalgam all-party meet, urges PM Modi to include all MPs-OxBig News Network

In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that claimed 26 lives, the Centre called for an all-party meeting on Thursday evening. However, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi initially expressed disappointment over not receiving an invite to the meeting and revealed that he had been told the Centre planned to invite only parties with “five or 10 MPs.” Later, he said that he was called by the Home Minister to attend the meet and would soon reach Delhi for it. 

Owaisi took to social media, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to invite all political parties to the discussion, regardless of their representation in Parliament. “Every party, regardless of the number of MPs, was elected by the people and deserves to be heard on such a critical issue,” he wrote. “This is not a political issue, it is a national issue. Everyone must be heard.”

The Hyderabad MP went on to explain that he had spoken to Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday night, who informed him that only parties with “five or 10 MPs” were under consideration for the meeting. Owaisi also revealed that when he questioned the exclusion of smaller parties, Rijiju responded by saying the meeting would become “too long” and even joked about his “loud voice.”

Despite the earlier frustration, Owaisi later said that the Home Minister personally called him and invited him to attend the all-party meeting. “The reason for which the all-party meeting is called is of national importance. The Home Minister just called me and asked where I am. He has asked me to come. I will book the earliest ticket and reach the all-party meeting (in Delhi),” he stated, signalling his intention to participate in the gathering after all.

The meeting, which will be chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, is expected to address the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, where 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed. Owaisi emphasised that the meeting should serve as an opportunity to send a united message against terrorism and the countries that harbour terrorists.