After TMC, Samajwadi Party skips Congress's Parliament protest
What's the story
The unity of the opposition bloc in India was put to test on Tuesday as key allies skipped a Congress-led protest in Parliament.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Samajwadi Party (SP)—both important allies of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA)—skipped the demonstration called by Rahul Gandhi's party.
The protest was mainly centered around issues concerning the Adani Group.
Differing priorities
TMC and SP prioritize other issues over Adani matter
Earlier, the TMC had skipped a meeting of INDIA bloc leaders, saying its priorities diverged from those of the Congress.
The party is more focused on issues like inflation and unemployment than the Adani issue.
The SP's absence from Tuesday's protest was another setback to opposition unity.
It came after a Lok Sabha walkout over recent violence in Sambhal, resulting in heated exchanges between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition MPs.
Criticism voiced
BJP criticizes Congress's protest strategy
BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya slammed Congress's protest strategy saying, "Wherever Congress goes to people, public rejects them there."
Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury said efforts are being made to run the House effectively.
The TMC also clarified its focus on Bengal's issues during the Winter Session with Abhishek Banerjee saying their priority is Bengal's concerns, not disrupting Parliament over one issue.
Violence addressed
SP raises concerns over Sambhal violence
SP MP Akhilesh Yadav raised the issue of recent violence in Sambhal in the Lok Sabha, alleging BJP conspiracy.
The session saw heated debates over minimum support price (MSP) amounts for farmers and other issues.
Despite an agreement for smooth parliamentary proceedings, opposition protests continued outside Parliament.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor described these protests as highlighting opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi government's policies.