New Delhi/IBNS: An all-party meeting was held on Sunday as leaders from the opposition gathered to discuss pressing issues and their expectations from the Budget, which will be presented on Tuesday.

Except for the Trinamool Congress (TMC), all Opposition parties were present at the meeting and urged the government to ensure that they are allowed to raise their issues in Parliament.

Congress leaders, including Jairam Ramesh and K Suresh, demanded the appointment of a Deputy Speaker from the Opposition ranks in the Lok Sabha.

According to reports, Congress also raised objections over the NEET paper leak issue. 

YSR Congress, Janata Dal (United) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) advocated strongly for special category status for Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha respectively.

Another issue that featured during the meeting was the controversy surrounding the Kanwar Yatra, an annual pilgrimage by Lord Shiva devotees.

The yatra triggered a controversy when the Uttar Pradesh government issued an order requiring food establishments along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners.

This move, intended to ensure transparency and accountability, has been perceived by many as a veiled attempt to identify and potentially target Muslim-owned businesses.