Opposition likely to hold dharna in Parliament on July 22 in solidarity with protesting farmers

Opposition parties are likely to hold a dharna in Parliament House on Thursday, July 22, in solidarity with farmers who will be starting their protest coinciding with the Monsoon Session.

A final decision on the contours of the protest will be finalised on Monday, sources said after a meeting of Opposition leaders. The deliberations were held soon after the all-party meeting convened by the government ahead of the Monsoon Session.

Sources said other protest modes like raising it inside Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will also be discussed and decided soon.

Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge chaired the meeting during which it was also decided to highlight price rise and the farmer's issue vociferously in the initial days.

It will also be decided on Monday whether price rise or farmer's issue will be raised first in Parliament even as there are some divergent views among the parties.

Sources said CPI(M)'s Elamaram Kareem strongly suggested that farmer's issue should be brought up in Parliament on the first day itself.

While he received support from CPI, Trinamool Congress, Muslim League and DMK among others, one of the Congress leaders who attended the meeting suggested that price rise should be brought to the table on the first day.

Sources said a decision on which notice should be submitted will be taken on Monday morning.

Farmers have announced that they will start their protest outside Parliament from Thursday.

Kharge has been assigned by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to coordinate with other Opposition parties for a floor strategy in Parliament to counter the government on a variety of issues.

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