Opposition parties, including Congress, TMC slam Modi govt; vow to strengthen unity in ranks

synopsis

Opposition parties, including the Congress, TMC, BRS and Samajwadi Party on Thursday (April 6) came together in a show of unity and accused the Narendra Modi government of getting the second half of the budget session washed out, while asserting that if this attitude continues, the country will move towards a "dictatorship".

With tricolour in hand, several Opposition MPs marched from Parliament to Vijay Chowk and then representatives of 19 parties held a press conference at the Constitution Club where Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and other leaders resolved to take the Opposition unity further.

Kharge accused the Narendra Modi government of not walking the talk on democratic principles and causing disruptions in Parliament to divert attention from the Opposition's demand for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the Adani issue.

In a boost to Opposition unity, the Trinamool Congress, Bharat Rashtra Samithi, the Aam Aadmi Party and the Samajwadi Party, which had been blowing hot and cold on sharing stage with the Congress on earlier occasions, participated in the march and the presser to give a joint call against the government on issues such as the Adani matter, price rise and alleged attack on democracy.

In his remarks at the press conference, Kharge said, "The budget of Rs 50-lakh crore was passed in just 12 minutes, but they (BJP) always alleged that the opposition parties have no interest and they kept disturbing the House."

"The disturbance was created by the ruling party. Whenever we made a demand or gave a notice, we were not allowed to speak. This has happened for the first time in my public life of 52 years and never has such a thing happened earlier," he said.

He said the government talks a lot about democracy, but it does not walk the talk. Asked if Rahul Gandhi was the prime challenger to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, DMK's T R Baalu claimed that the BJP is jittery and after the Bharat Jodo Yatra it is afraid of Rahul Gandhi.

"It was because of the government's hegemonic attitude they disrupted the House. First time treasury benches disrupted proceedings," he said, adding that all issues would be discussed going forward and Opposition strengthened.

BRS MP K Keshava Rao said the parties on the podium had "distance and differences" between them but were now coming together.

"You have right before you all the Opposition parties who maintained some distance and had differences but today you are seeing how it is evolving. We are becoming so strong that all the efforts to divide us have failed. We are today united right before you on the ground," he said.

"All efforts to divide us have failed and we are united on the ground. We are working on how we will come together. The question that why you are always asking is the leadership issue. The nation will certainly be led by a person and led by a combination of ideologies and programmes," Rao said.

AAP's Sanjay Singh said the message behind Rahul Gandhi's disqualification was clear that one can attack the Centre but not Adani "for whom the government was working".

Kharge said 18 to 19 opposition parties raised the Adani matter and how his wealth increased to Rs 12 lakh crore in just a period of 2 to 2.5 years.

"Why are you fearing from constituting a joint parliamentary committee probe even when the BJP will have its say as it will have majority members...Something is fishy, that is why the government is not agreeing to order a JPC probe into the Adani issue," Kharge said.

(With inputs from PTI)