Kharge turns down invitation to attend Lokpal selection panel meet

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday declined an invitation to attend a meeting of the Lokpal Selection Committee.

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kharge said, "Once again forced to respectfully decline invitation until Leader of the single largest opposition party is conferred the status of the full-fledged member to reflect the spirit of Lokpal Act, 2013."

In his letter to Prime Minister Modi in August, Kharge had expressed his displeasure and objected to being invited to the panel meetings, saying that he would not have the right to participate, record an opinion or vote.

Kharge also alleged that the government extended him an invitation as a "Special Invitee" to exclude the voice of the opposition in a parliamentary democracy. He further alleged that the government's action was misleading the citizens of the country.

The Congress leader, who received a similar invitation in March, said that he was disappointed with the government, as his earlier letter went unacknowledged, and the concerns that he raised in his letter were also not addressed.