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Nationwide uproar as the INDIA Bloc unites in 'Save Democracy' protests against MP suspensions
Nationwide protests have erupted on Friday opposition parties within the INDIA bloc have hit the streets to express their discontentment over the suspension of 146 Members of Parliament during the Winter Session. In New Delhi, INDIA Alliance leaders have congregated at Jantar Mantar under the theme “Save Democracy” as an effort to "safeguard democracy." Around two dozen opposition MPs, including Jairam Ramesh, A Raja, Gaurav Gogoi, Sharad Pawar, Mukul Wasnik, A Raja, and Naseer Hussain, have participated in the protests.
The series of mass suspensions began from December 14, the MPs were suspended for disrupting the proceedings of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. They raised slogans and sought a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the security breach in Parliament on December 13. What started with the suspension of TMC MP Derek O’Brian, soon snowballed into the mass suspension of 146 Opposition MPs, the highest number of suspensions in a single session in the history of the Indian Parliament.
"First time in Parliament’s history, 146 Opposition MPs have been suspended and they (government) have passed the three criminal law bills in our absence. They don’t value democracy and this will not be in favour of the nation,” said Congress Leader Arvinder Singh Lovely, calling the serial suspensions a “blot on India’s democracy.”
Congress MP Manickram Tagore asserted that “the Parliamentary democracy in India is coming to a deathbed.” “Our only mistake is that we wanted Home Minister Amit Shah to come and make his statement on the security breach in the Parliament. For that, they have suspended 146 of the MPs from the INDIA bloc parties," said Tagore. He further stated that the Opposition has congregated to “save the Parliament” and the “Indian democracy.” "They passed telecom, crime bills, and election commission bills, which is just like the BJP office. To save the Parliament of India and democracy, today at every state headquarters symbolic protest by the INDIA bloc is being organized, “he added.
In solidarity, other INDIA alliance members have also held nationwide protests at district headquarters.
The United Democratic Front (UDF), led by the Congress in Kerala organized a sit-in demonstration near Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram to protest the suspension of 146 members from Parliament.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, alongside with other Congress leaders, have staged a protest at Indira Park in Hyderabad. At the same time, in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and other Congress leaders are holding a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru. The Samajwadi Party (SP) has organized a protest across all district headquarters in Uttar Pradesh.
The Opposition MPs on Thursday had taken out a demonstration from the Parliament building to Vijay Chowk in Delhi, protesting against the suspension of the 146 MPs.
