Oppn united despite different protest tactics: TMC
New Delhi: Amidst speculation of a rift within the INDIA Bloc and reports of a lack of consensus, senior Rajya Sabha member and Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien dismissed these claims, asserting that the Opposition is ‘united’ and ‘shares a strong bond’.
He acknowledged that different parties may have different ways of protesting, but main objective of the INDIA Bloc remains to ‘corner’ the BJP-led government at the Centre.
While the Congress is focusing on national issues such as the Adani bribery case and the unrest in Manipur, other non-NDA regional parties like the Trinamool Congress and the Samajwadi Party are concentrating on regional issues.
On Wednesday morning, the Samajwadi Party staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha over ongoing communal tensions in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh.
Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress has prioritised six key issues, including the deprivation of Central funds to Bengal, shortage of fertilisers, unemployment, and price rise.
In the Lok Sabha, senior TMC member Sudip Bandyopadhyay raised the issue of the Government’s silence on Bangladesh during ‘Zero Hour’ on Tuesday.
He pointed out that Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh are being tortured and killed, and urged the Indian government to appeal to the United Nations to send peacekeeping forces.
Bandyopadhyay criticised the Government’s silence on the matter, suggesting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should engage with Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, given the state’s long border with Bangladesh and the potential impact of the turmoil on its demography.
On Wednesday, Bandyopadhyay also told the press in the national capital, reiterating the importance of the Government taking action on the Bangladesh issue.
He emphasised that the ongoing turmoil could lead to demographic changes in Bengal due to infiltration.
In the Rajya Sabha, TMC MPs have been sticking to their ‘six-issues’ agenda, highlighting the specific concerns of Bengal. However, the party skipped a key meeting of the INDIA Bloc on Monday, indicating a divergence in priorities.
The Samajwadi Party also skipped a joint Opposition protest in Parliament on Tuesday, further suggesting that not all parties within the INDIA Bloc are aligned on the same issues.
Despite these differences, sources suggest that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been working to build consensus among the Opposition parties.
He has reportedly spoken to other party leaders to find common ground and ensure a united front against the BJP-led government.
