Oppn MPs stage protest in Parliament, demand respect for Constitution
New Delhi: As the first session of Parliament commenced post-elections, the Opposition made a bold statement with a protest on the premises, showcasing their enhanced presence in the Lok Sabha. Members of the INDIA Opposition bloc, brandishing copies of the Constitution, voiced their dissent within the Parliament complex, standing together in a display of solidarity. The members of the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, DMK, and other opposition parties gathered where the Gandhi statue previously stood.
Among the senior leaders participating in the demonstration were Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Rahul Gandhi, and Sonia Gandhi, now a Rajya Sabha MP. Other prominent Congress members included Gaurav Gogoi. From the Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav and Dimple Yadav were present. The Trinamool Congress was represented by Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Mala Roy, Kalyan Banerjee, and Mahua Moitra. The DMK’s K Kanimozhi and TR Baalu were also among the leaders who joined the protest. Buoyed by the recent Lok Sabha election results which denied a majority to the ruling BJP, the Opposition plans to challenge the NDA government on several key issues.
Congress leader K C Venugopal referred to the protesting leaders as “guardians of democracy” in a video he posted on a microblogging site. In the video, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Rahul Gandhi, and TMC leader Mahua Moitra can be seen protesting. The leaders held copies of the Constitution and raised slogans such as “Our Constitution long live, long live” and “Who will save the Constitution? We will, we will.”
The INDIA bloc leaders are protesting against several issues, including the appointment of BJP leader Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker, alleged irregularities in the NEET UG-2024 examination, and the relocation of statues within the Parliament building complex.
According to the Opposition, K Suresh, an eight-term member and Dalit leader, was overlooked for the temporary post of pro-tem Speaker. The Congress stated that Mahtab’s appointment by the BJP deviates from the traditional practice of appointing the senior member, adding that it is an “established tradition” in the Lok Sabha that the senior-most MP becomes the pro-tem Speaker.
Opposition leaders criticised the government’s decision, describing it as arrogant and pointing out that they bypassed K Suresh for the position of pro-tem Speaker.
