News Analysis India

Tag: Opposition parties

  • WATCH: Opposition releases video of its members sneaking in Pegasus, farmers during discussions in Rajya Sabha

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The opposition’s strategy of speaking on the Pegasus snooping row and farm laws during discussions of bills in the Rajya Sabha has now been compiled in a three-minute video in an attempt to make the government listen to their demands, leaders said on Sunday.

    The video, released by the TMC on Sunday morning from RS MP Derek O’Brien’s handle, urges, “Mr Modi come listen to us”.

    Opposition party sources indicated that over the last few weeks, leaders have realised that the disruptions by them in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are not enough.

    It was important to say the words, “farmers”, “Pegasus” and spyware on the floor of the Houses.

    “Mr Modi,Come listen to us.” #Parliament @INCIndia@AITCofficial@samajwadiparty@ShivSena @trspartyonline @arivalayam @cpimspeak @RJDforIndia@NCPspeaks @AamAadmiPartyThree minute VIDEO

  • Opposition leaders to join protesting farmers at Jantar Mantar

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Several opposition party leaders will on Friday go to Jantar Mantar here to express solidarity with farmers protesting against the contentious farm laws and participate in the ‘Kisan Sansad’.

    Leaders of 14 opposition parties met in Parliament house at 10 AM and decided to extend their support to the farmers’ agitation and sit in solidarity with them.

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and several other leaders of Opposition parties were present in the meeting held in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge.

    Opposition leaders including Gandhi will participate in the Kisan Sansad at Jantar Mantar and support the farmers in their demand for repeal of farm laws, Kharge told reporters after the meeting.

    “The Opposition leaders’ meeting decided to hold their protest in Jantar Mantar at 1 PM and sit with the protesting farmers,” a senior leader told PTI.

    The leaders would travel from Parliament at 12.

    30 PM in a bus and would participate in the Kisan Sansad at Jantar Mantar.

    Leaders of several parties including the Congress, DMK, TMC, NCP, Shiv Sena, RJD, SP, CPIM, AAP, CPI, IUML, RSP, NC and LJD attended the opposition meeting.

    The opposition leaders also discussed their floor strategy in both houses of Parliament during the meeting.

     

  • Opposition blames government for Parliament logjam, demand debate on Pegasus and farmers’ issue

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Leaders of 14 opposition parties on Wednesday said the responsibility for the deadlock in Parliament lies squarely with the government and urged it to respect parliamentary democracy by accepting their demand for a discussion on the Pegasus row and farmers’ issue.

    In a joint statement here, 18 leaders from 14 parties said that it is unfortunate that the government has “unleashed a misleading campaign to malign the combined opposition” and blaming it for the continued disruption of Parliament proceedings.

    “The responsibility for the deadlock lies squarely at the doorsteps of the government, which remains arrogant and obdurate and refuses to accept the opposition’s demand for an informed debate in both the houses,” according to the statement.

    “The opposition once again urges the government to respect parliamentary democracy and accept the discussions. The opposition parties stand firm and united on their demand for a discussion on Pegasus issue in both the Houses, replied to by the Home Minister, as this has national security dimensions,” it said.

    ALSO READ| Lok Sabha Speaker cautions Opposition not to place placards in front of his chair

    The opposition has also unequivocally conveyed that discussion on farmers’ issues and on agitations due to the contentious agriculture laws should follow the debate on the Pegasus row.

    The statement was issued jointly by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, DMK’s TR Balu and Tiruchi Siva, Congress’ Anand Sharma, Samajwadi Party’s Ramgopal Yadav, Derek O’ Brien and Kalyan Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress, and Sanjay Raut and Vinayak Raut of the Shiv Sena.

    The other signatories included Manoj Jha of the RJD, CPM’s Elamaram Kareem, CPI’s Binoy Viswam, AAP’s Sushil Gupta, IUML’s Mohd. Basheer, NC’s Hasnain Masoodi, RSP’s NK Premachandran and MV Shreyams Kumar of the LJD.

    ALSO READ| Congress’ Bittu, SAD’s Harsimrat have verbal spat in Parliament over farm bills

    The statement comes after a stalemate in Monsson Session of Parliament with both the Houses paralysed by the opposition’s uproar over their demand for a discussion on the Pegasus snooping issue and farmers’ protests.

  • Rahul Gandhi invites opposition parties leaders to meeting to chalk out strategy on Pegasus row

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Amid the ongoing stalemate in Parliament, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has invited leaders of opposition parties to a breakfast meeting at the Constitution Club on Tuesday to chalk out a joint strategy on the Pegasus snooping issue.

    Sources said the meeting is being held to forge unity among the opposition ranks on the issue.

    All opposition MPs and floor leaders of various parties have been invited for the meeting.

    The opposition has been demanding a discussion in Parliament on the Pegasus row and its leaders have been giving adjournment notices everyday.

    The government has been saying that the opposition is creating a “non-issue” and the IT minister has already given a reply in both Houses of Parliament.

    The sources added that an invite has also been sent to Trinamool Congress, which has been skipping all meetings convened by Rahul Gandhi so far.

  • Unity of opposition parties will take shape on its own, says Mamata Banerjee

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said the unity of opposition parties will take shape on its own.

    Banerjee, who is in the national capital, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and requested him to give her state more coronavirus vaccines based on its population.

    West Bengal CM @MamataOfficial called on PM @narendramodi. pic.twitter.com/KY8vEYmPwp
    — PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 27, 2021

    Responding to a question on opposition unity against the ruling NDA, she said it will take shape on its own.

    ALSO READ | West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to meet Sonia Gandhi on July 28

    Asked whether she will lead the opposition parties, Banerjee said the country will lead the opposition unity.

    She said the prime minister should convene an all-party meet on the Pegasus snooping row and decide on a Supreme Court-led probe.

    Banerjee would meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday which she described as “chai pe charcha”.

  • CWC member backs Shiv Sena’s pitch for Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar joining hands

    By PTI
    BENGALURU: Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday backed the Shiv Sena’s pitch for his party leader Rahul Gandhi joining hands with NCP chief Sharad Pawar to align all opposition parties together to take on the ruling BJP at the Centre, and said it’s necessary.

    Rao, who is All India Congress Committee (AICC) incharge of Goa, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, said he is sure that Gandhi and Pawar would be in touch to take the matter forward.

    “The Congress and NCP have been in alliance in Maharashtra for more than 20 years. So, there is a good bond between us, and I am sure they (Gandhi and Pawar) will work it out”, Rao, a former Karnataka Minister, told P T I here.

    “It is necessary and I am sure there is a conversation happening already. I welcome whatever Shiv Sena has said. It’s a good suggestion,” added Rao, a former Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President and son of former Chief Minister late R Gundu Rao.

    An editorial in Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ said on Thursday: “Rahul Gandhi should join hands with (Sharad) Pawar to align all opposition parties.”

  • Rahul Gandhi should join hands with Sharad Pawar to bring Opposition parties together: Shiv Sena

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena on Thursday said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should join hands with NCP chief Pawar to align all opposition parties together to take on the ruling BJP at the Centre.

    “Gandhi attacks the Centre and its policies regularly, but that is on Twitter,” an editorial in the Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ said.

    The Sena, which shares power with the NCP and Congress in Maharashtra, further claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s body language has changed.

    “He knows the situation in the country has gone out of his hands. Despite people’s anger, the BJP and the government have confidence that they face no threat because of the weak and disjointed opposition,” it said.

    Pawar on Tuesday hosted a meeting of leaders of eight opposition parties, including the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the Samajwadi Party, the Aam Aadmi Party, the Rashtriya Lok Dal and the Left at his residence in Delhi, amid heightened speculation about the possibility of a third front against the BJP.

    However, leaders who took part in that discussions asserted it was a “non-political” meeting of like-minded individuals by Rashtriya Manch that was floated by former finance minister and TMC vice-president Yashwant Sinha along with others.

    The Sena editorial on Thursday said, “Rahul Gandhi should join hands with Pawar to align all opposition parties.”

    The tea party of opposition leaders should have been organised by Gandhi, it opined.

    “Sharad Pawar can bring all opposition parties together. But then, there is a question of leadership. If we expect the Congress to take the lead, the party is itself without a national president,” the Sena said.

    There is an outfit called the UPA (United Progressive Alliance-led by Congress), but does the country have a strong and organised opposition? This question is still pending, it said.

    “The tea party of Rashtriya Manch at Sharad Pawar’s Delhi home showed the exact status of the opposition,” it said in sarcastic remarks. The two-and-a-half-hour meeting yielded nothing, despite being hyped by the media, the Marathi daily said.

    “The (meeting) organisers said the government had no vision to solve several pressing issues being faced the country and Rashtriya Manch will provide that to the government. Because of the meeting, it came to light that there is an organisation called Rashtriya Manch founded by Yashwant Sinha,” it remarked. All those who gathered at the meeting were the ones who “prioritise discussion and debate over political action”, it claimed.

    The editorial further said there should be deliberation first on whether the opposition should come together only on one criteria – of opposing the BJP and Modi.

    “The mountain of challenges faced by the country today is the legacy of the present government. What does the alternate leadership think about these problems?” the Sena sought to know.

    A strong opposition is the need of parliamentary democracy.

    But, such an opposition is “non-existent” at the national level, it said, while noting that several regional parties have stood up against the BJP and defeated it in polls.

  • COVID-19: Leaders of 13 opposition parties issue joint statement urging Centre to launch free mass vaccination drive

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Leaders of 13 Opposition parties Sunday urged the Centre to launch a free mass vaccination drive across the country in view of the unprecedented surge in Covid-19 cases.

    In a joint statement, they also called upon the Centre to ensure uninterrupted oxygen supply to all hospitals and health centres as they manage the staggering patient loads in view of the rising cases.

    The signatories include Congress president Sonia Gandhi, JDS leader and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, NCP leader Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee.

    “In times of the uncontrollable surge of the pandemic across our country, we call upon the Central government to focus all attention in ensuring the uninterrupted flow of Oxygen supplies to all hospitals and health centres across the country,” they said in a joint statement.

    “We call upon the Central government to immediately launch a free mass vaccination programme across the country,” they added.

    The opposition leaders said the budgetary allocation of Rs 35,000 crore for the vaccination programme must be utilised for this drive.

    JMM leader and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, DMK chief MK Stalin, BSP supremo Mayawati, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav have also signed the statement, besides left leaders D Raja (CPI) and Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M)

  • Nirmala Sitharaman slams Opposition for creating false narrative, says govt working for poor sections

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman on Friday slammed the Opposition and accused them of constantly alleging a false narrative that the government only worked for cronies and said several of the Centre’s schemes were for the poor.

    “It has now become a sort of habit for some in the Opposition to constantly allege, in spite of what we are doing for the poor and the steps taken for helping the poor and needy of this country, a false narrative is created that this government works only for cronies,” Sitharaman said while replying to the discussion on the Union Budget in Rajya Sabha.

    She reminded members of the Upper House of several schemes that have been implemented for the poorer sections of the country, like the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Saubhagya Yojana.

    ALSO READ: Union budget instrument to attain Aatmanirbhar Bharat, says FM Sitharaman in Rajya Sabha

    “Over 1.67 crore houses were completed under the PM Awas Yojana. Over 2.67 crore households were electrified under the PM Saubhagya Yojana since October 2017. Is this for the rich?” Sitharaman asked.

    She further pointed out, “The total value of orders placed on the government’s e-market is Rs 8,22,077 crore. Are they being given to big companies? They are being given to MSMEs. Over 3.6 lakh digital transactions via UPI have taken place from August 2016 till Jan 2020.”

    She also took a dig at the Congress party, saying, “UPI is used by who? The rich? No. The middle class, smaller traders use UPI. Who are these people then? Is government creating UPI and facilitating digital transactions to benefit rich cronies? For some damads? No.”

    Opposition members raised objections over her remarks, to which she responded, “Damad, I didn’t think is the trademark of Indian National Congress. Damad har ghar mein hota hai. Magar Damad Indian National Congress mein ek specialised naam hai. (Son-in-laws are there in every household, but it is a specialised name in the Indian National Congress).

    This comes after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on February 4 termed the Union Budget 2021-22 as ‘crony centric’, which ‘betrays’ the employers of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector.

    “Modi’s crony centric budget means — Struggling MSMEs given no low-interest loans, no GST relief. The employers of India’s largest workforce betrayed,” Gandhi had tweeted.

    Earlier, he had said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is planning to “handover India’s assets to crony capitalist friends”. He had slammed the government for not “putting cash in the hands of the people”.

    Gandhi had also said the government should support MSMEs, farmers and workers for generating employment.