Amit Shah warns party MPs not to skip Parliament

New Delhi, Aug 1 (IANS) BJP President Amit Shah on Tuesday warned party MPs not to skip Parliament during the rest of the monsoon session, a day after the government suffered embarrassment when the opposition ensured passage of amendments to a Constitution amendment bill on backward classes due to lack of treasury bench numbers.

"In the (BJP Parliamentary Party) meeting, (Amit) Shah said that when the party issues a whip it must be followed by all the MPs. Party has taken a serious note of it and it has warned its members not to repeat their act," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said after the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting here.

"He has asked all the members to remain present during the rest of monsoon session of Parliament," he said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentary party meeting was chaired by Shah.

The minister's remarks came after the government on Monday suffered an embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha when it could not ensure passage of a bill to give constitutional status to the Backward Classes Commission, with the opposition succeeding in amending an important provision.

The Minister also said the party will speak to those members who were not present at Tuesday's meeting.

"Shah will address a press conference later in the day and brief in detail," Kumar said.

Ananth Kumar also accused the Congress of hatching a conspiracy to not approve the bill to confer constitutional status on the Backward Classes Commission.

"It's a conspiracy of the Congress not to approve the amended Bill in the Rajya Sabha. All parties have recommended about the Bill in the select committee," he added.