Sonia, Rahul participate in protest near Gandhi statue in Parliament premises

The protest began soon after both Houses were adjourned for the day in a standoff over Rahul Gandhi's 'democracy-under-attack' remarks in London

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, former Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and other opposition MPs during a protest over the Adani issue. Credit: PTI Photo

Opposition on Friday capped their protest on the Adani Group issue in Parliament for this week with a ‘satyagraha’ demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), a day after organising a human chain around the imposing building to “protect democracy”.

The ‘satyagraha’ at the Gandhi Statue in Parliament was the third joint Opposition protest in the last three days, which were decided in meetings called by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also Congress president.

The first protest planned and executed by the Opposition was a march to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and a joint complaint on Wednesday but it was marred by the absence of NCP, which did not sign the complaint or joined the march claiming that they could not reach their chief Sharad Pawar for clearance.

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This was followed by the human chain protest and ‘satyagraha’. The Opposition is also seeking time from President Droupadi Murmu on Monday to impress upon her the need for setting up a JPC in the Adani affair.

At least 19 parties – Congress, DMK, RJD, SP, AAP, JD(U), BRS, CPI(M), CPI, Shiv Sena (Thackeray), NCP, JMM, NC, MDMK, VCK, RSP, RLD, Kerala Congress (M) and Muslim League – are coordinating with each other while Trinamool Congress has adopted an ‘Ekla Chalo Re’ policy.

Interestingly, the Opposition meetings called by Kharge were attended by Congress’ archrivals BRS and AAP while Trinamool Congress chose not to join, claiming that the Congress has aligned with the Left to oppose them in West Bengal and that its leaders were abusing party chief Mamata Banerjee.

"In Tripura you will be friends with the Left, that's your choice, in Bengal you will fight us tooth and nail....then in Meghalaya before the election you will write a litany (of charges) on how bad TMC is.... Then one of your senior parliamentarians and leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha will everyday make wild charges," Trinamool’s Derek O’Brien said.

Congress General Secretary (Communications) and Rajya Sabha Chief Whip Jairam Ramesh said all Opposition parties, barring a few who have “tacit understanding” with the BJP, are together.

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