A parliamentary panel meeting on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj was abruptly postponed on Tuesday after BJP MPs boycotted the session in protest of the presence of activist Medha Patkar and actor-turned-activist Prakash Raj, who had been invited to appear before the committee. The meeting, led by Congress MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, aimed to discuss the implementation and effectiveness of the land acquisition law enacted in 2013 during the UPA government.

Sources indicate that the BJP MPs initiated protests within 40 minutes of the meeting's commencement, with some calling Patkar "anti-national". One BJP MP reportedly said that inviting Patkar was akin to inviting the "Prime Minister of Pakistan". BJP MPs stated that they were not informed about the invitation to Medha Patkar and Prakash Raj. Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, the panel head, defended the decision, stating that it is normal practice for the committee to invite civil society members and other stakeholders on various issues. Ulaka added that the Speaker's office had approved the invitation of 11 activists, including Patkar and Raj.

The BJP MPs reportedly felt agitated by the presence of Patkar and Raj, refusing to enter the meeting hall until Patkar was removed. Prakash Raj is known for his anti-BJP views. The BJP MPs questioned Ulaka for inviting "anti-nationals," with one MP allegedly referring to "urban Naxals" being invited to Parliament. BJP MP Raju Bista stated that the committee should have disclosed the list of invitees beforehand and that parliamentary committee meetings should not be used for political mileage.

Other members of the panel, including CPI(M) MP K. Radhakrishnan, criticized the BJP MPs' actions, stating that the abrupt ending of the meeting undermined the spirit of parliamentary oversight and democratic consultation. CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar described the BJP MPs as being "intolerant" and said that the ruling party should be open to hearing all sides.

Ulaka stated that all rules to convene the meeting were followed and the list of witnesses was circulated to all members. He also mentioned that activists have been invited to previous meetings as well. Ulaka expressed disappointment that the BJP MPs boycotted the meeting without hearing the issues related to land acquisition of marginalized people. He added that the meeting had to be postponed due to a lack of quorum, which is difficult to achieve without the presence of BJP MPs.

The agenda of the meeting was to gather oral evidence from various representatives, including those from the Department of Land Resources, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, NGOs, experts, and other stakeholders, regarding the implementation and effectiveness of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.