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This article was first published 12 years ago

Pranab not informed about MPs photo-op, misses it

Last updated on: May 16, 2012 16:30 IST

Image: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was conspicuous by his absence at a joint group photograph of members of both the Houses on Wednesday to commemorate 60th anniversary of Parliament as he was not informed.

Sources said the information about the photo-op was put up by the Lok Sabha secretariat on its website as part of its agenda but there was no separate communication to the office of Mukherjee, who is also the Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha.

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Pranab not informed about MPs photo-op, misses it

Image: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, President Pratibha Patil and Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari walk during a procession upon their arrival to attend a function on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Indian Parliament's first session in New Delhi May 13
Photographs: Reuters

"Lok Sabha secretariat and Rajya Sabha secretariat give information through their bulletin. I see the bulletins regularly and this (the group photograph session) has come several times. I cannot say anything more than that," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said.

Members from across the political spectrum equally expressed their surprise over Mukherjee's absence from the photo session. "He is a respectable leader and we would had been happy had he been in the joint photo session," Bharatiya Janata Party MP Tarun Vijay said, adding that either the Congress or Parliament will have to explain his absence.

Pranab not informed about MPs photo-op, misses it

Image: Speaker Meira Kumar addresses the gathering at the function to mark the 60th Anniversary of Parliament

Regretting his absence, Janata Dal United member Sushil Singh said, "If he (Mukherjee) was not informed, then it was very unfortunate."

Biju Janata Dal leader P K Patsani said the finance minister should have been in the photo session as "he is the best manager in the treasury side".

While Harsimrat Kaur Badal of Shiromani Akali Dal said they were left wondering about his absent, Ajay Kumar of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha said Mukherjee is an important leader of Parliament and his absence was felt.

Pranab not informed about MPs photo-op, misses it

Image: A view of the decorated central hall of the Parliament on the occasion of its 60th anniversary
Photographs: Reuters

Kuldeep Bishnoi of Haryana Janhit Congress said it should be found out whether there was a communication gap, which led to his absence. "Definitely we missed him on this special occasion," he said.

Congress MPs Jagadambika Pal and Sanjay Bhoi also missed the senior leader's absence in the photo session, while Somen Mitra of Trinamool Congress said he also felt his absence.

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