Opposition to take out protest march against curtailment of Parliament's Monsoon Session

opposition protest — Image Source : PTI
Rahul Gandhi along with other Opposition leaders at a protest march against the curtailment of the Monsoon Session.

Opposition parties leaders on Thursday took out a protest march against the government on several issues, including Pegasus and alleged manhandling of their MPs in Rajya Sabha.

Speaking to reporters at Vijay Chowk near Parliament, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that the voice of people was "crushed" in the House.

"The Parliament session is over. Frankly, as far as 60 percent of country is concerned, there was no Parliament session as the voice of 70 percent of people was crushed, humiliated," Rahul said. "On Wednesday, Rajya Sabha MPs were physically beaten," he charged.

Rahul said the opposition was not allowed to speak inside Parliament and "this is nothing short of murder of democracy".

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, however, had termed as "totally false" the opposition's allegations that marshals manhandled their MPs and said one can check facts from CCTV footage.

Top leaders of several opposition parties met in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and then walked in protest from Parliament House to Vijay Chowk. Those who attended the meeting included Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Kharge, Sanjay Raut, Manoj Jha and other opposition leaders. The protest comes a day after the passage of bills in Rajya Sabha amid charges of manhandling of opposition leaders.

The protesting MPs carried placards and banners against the government that read 'Stop murder of democracy' and 'we demand Repeal of anti farmers laws'.

Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena MP in Rajya Sabha, said that the opposition didn't get a chance to present views in Parliament. "Yesterday's incident against women MPs was against democracy. It felt like we were standing at the Pakistan border," he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, both Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die, two days before schedule, after the 127th Amendment to the Constitution was passed in the Rajya Sabha.