In a dramatic turn of events, members of various bloc parties, including those suspended, have staged a protest in front of the Gandhi statue within the Parliament premises. The protest, held on Wednesday morning, is in response to the suspension of 141 Opposition MPs and the recent ‘security breach’ incident that occurred on December 13.
The opposition lawmakers, led by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Parliamentary leader Sonia Gandhi, are adamant in their demand for a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the security breach. The protest saw the participation of other opposition MPs, including those who were suspended.
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram expressed concerns, stating, “This is going to be the trend. It’s my way or the highway. If you don’t fall in line, we will throw you out because we have the majority. We control both the Houses. They want to turn the Parliament into a stamping House…”
Highlighting the severity of the situation, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor remarked, “This is a dubious record in Parliamentary history and a blot on our democracy. Instead of preserving democracy, they have done the most important responsibility of ministers is accountability to Parliament.”
Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge voiced strong opposition to what he sees as an attempt to run a dictatorship. He stated, “They want to suspend everyone and run a dictatorship by removing everyone from the house, this won’t work in a democracy. This is why we will go to the people. We will continue to protest till they don’t revoke suspension and make a statement in the house.”
During the protest, opposition MPs were seen carrying banners with the slogan ‘save democracy,’ emphasizing their commitment to democratic values.
In an unprecedented move, a total of 141 MPs were suspended from Parliament on Tuesday, escalating tensions between the government and the opposition.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi responded to the situation, accusing the opposition of hindering the functioning of the House. He stated, “On one hand, there is an investigation going on (regarding the security breach), and on the other hand, the opposition does not want the House to function…They (the opposition) want to do politics in everything.”
The Speaker of the House has initiated a high-level inquiry into the security breach, and a committee has been formed to enhance the security of the new Parliament under the supervision of DG CRPF. The government remains focused on addressing the security concerns while the political standoff between the ruling party and the opposition intensifies.
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