Several Opposition leaders on Thursday marched to Vijay Chowk from Parliament in New Delhi to protest against the government on scores of issues including the alleged manhandling of their MPs, Pegasus and three farms laws, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi terming the abrupt end to the monsoon session as “murder of democracy”.
The leaders apart from Gandhi included Sharad Pawar, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sanjay Raut, Manoj Jha and other opposition leaders. They had met in the chamber of the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge before walking in protest.
The protesting MPs carried placards and banners against the government that read ‘stop murder of democracy’ and ‘we demand repeal of anti-farmers laws’.
Speaking to the media, Rahul Gandhi said the Opposition was not allowed to speak inside the Parliament. “This is nothing short of murder of democracy,” he said.
Gandhi also said the voice of people was “crushed” in the House.
“The Parliament session is over. As far as 60 per cent of the country is concerned, there was no Parliament session. Voice of 60 percent population was crushed, humiliated in Parliament,” The Indian Express quoted Gandhi as saying.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut also condemned the alleged assault on women MPs in the Upper House saying “it felt like we were standing at the Pakistan border”.
NCP leader Sharad Pawar said that in his 55 years of being in Parliament, he had never seen women MPs being attacked in Rajya Sabha unlike on Wednesday.
“It is painful. It is an attack on democracy,” Pawar alleged.
The Parliament was adjourned sine die on Wednesday, two days earlier to the schedule. Both Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu, the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla expressed anguish Wednesday over the washout.
