NEW DELHI: It was another day of protest outside Parliament by the opposition on Wednesday. However, this time, after masks, T-shirts, and bags, Congress MPs distributed rose flowers and the national flag (Tiranga) to NDA MPs. In one such exchange, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was seen handing a Tiranga to defence minister Rajnath Singh, who had just arrived.
Besides distributing flowers and flags, opposition MPs also carried placards that read: “Desh ko mat bikne do” (Don’t let the country be sold).
“We have distributed the national flag and requested them not to sell the country but to take it forward. Unfortunately, we see that Adani is running the country these days. Everything is being handed over to him, and the voice of the poor is being suppressed. We are against this conspiracy to sell the country,” said Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad.
The protest marks the latest in a string of opposition attacks on the government. On Tuesday, Congress MPs held a protest, donning ‘Adani-Modi’ bags, while on Monday, Congress MPs impersonated the PM and the billionaire wearing masks, with Rahul Gandhi conducting a mock interview. Over the past week, Congress MPs wore T-shirts with caricatures to demand investigation into alleged Adani bribery charges by the US.
A blame game also has erupted between the government and the opposition over who is responsible for the continuous parliamentary disruptions. “We are going to the Speaker (Om Birla)… pleading to run the House,” said Congress MP KC Venugopal, holding a Tiranga and rose flowers.
Earlier in the day, flagging “defamatory remarks” made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey linking the Gandhis to US-based billionaire George Soros, Congress’s deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, wrote a letter to Speaker Om Birla demanding that the remarks be expunged to ensure the smooth functioning of the House.
The Congress party expressed its willingness to participate in the legislative business listed for the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, pending the Speaker’s decision.
Meanwhile, the BJP has doubled down on its charges, stating: “The connection between George Soros and the Nehru-Gandhi family runs deep, extending beyond Sonia Gandhi’s role as co-president of the Forum of Democratic Leaders – Asia Pacific (FDL-AP).”
On Opposition distributing roses, Nishikant Dubey said, “Is this not a drama that they are doing here? These are childish ways. Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi have also been Leaders of Opposition but were they ever seen making videos like this? These are children…”
On Wednesday, the Rajya Sabha was yet again forced to adjourn until next day amid protests from both the treasury and the opposition benches over slogans referencing Sonia-Soros and Adani-Modi. This comes as both Houses of Parliament is facing repeated disruptions, with the BJP alleging Congress’s links with George Soros and opposition claiming the Adani group is being shielded by the BJP.
