INDIA bloc launches protest outside Parliament amid pro-tem speaker row
What's the story
As the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha began, several leaders of the opposition's Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance staged a protest in front of the Gandhi statue in the Parliament—holding copies of the Constitution.
The MPs—including the Congress's Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi—chanted slogans like "long live Constitution," "we will save Constitution," and "save our democracy," in the Parliament complex.
The Trinamool Congress's Sudip Bandopadhyay and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's TR Baalu were also present at the protest.
Congress's statement
INDIA bloc enters Lok Sabha with bapu's blessings: Venugopal
Calling the protesting leaders "guardians of democracy," Congress leader KC Venugopal posted a video on X.
In the video, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Kharge, Rahul, and TMC leader Mahua Moitra can be seen protesting. "
We are committed to protecting...upholding the Constitution. We are united in our resolve to fight against injustice...The INDIA alliance enters the 18th Lok Sabha taking Bapu's blessings...with a fresh resolve to give voice to the people's issues, challenges, hopes and aspirations," Venugopal captioned the video.
Twitter Post
Read Venugopal's full post here
We are the guardians of democracy. We are committed to protecting and upholding the Constitution. We are united in our resolve to fight against injustice.
— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) June 24, 2024
The INDIA alliance enters the 18th Lok Sabha taking Bapu’s blessings and with a fresh resolve to give voice to the people’s… pic.twitter.com/PaQWgkShE2
Protest
Opposition's protest against pro-tem speaker's appointment, NEET row
The INDIA bloc leaders are protesting the appointment of BJP leader Bhartruhari Mahtab as pro-tem speaker, "irregularities" in the NEET UG-2024 exam and the relocation of statues within the Parliament complex.
According to the opposition, eight-term member K Suresh, a Dalit leader, was passed over for the pro-tem speaker role.
The Congress argued that Mahtab's selection by the BJP departs from the longstanding tradition of appointing the most senior MP as pro-tem speaker in the Lok Sabha.
'Opposition not consulted'
'Attitude of an arrogant government': Congress's Tagore
"The attitude of the government is still that of an arrogant government. They superseded a Dalit MP who is an 8-term MP. K Suresh should have been the pro-tem speaker. It is very unfortunate that the Parliamentary Affairs Minister has taken such a decision without any consultation with the opposition parties," Congress MP Manickam Tagore said.
Pro-tem speaker row
Provisions of Constitution violated: TMC's Kalyan Banerjee
Meanwhile, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee, who participated in the protest, said that the provisions of the Constitution had been violated.
"The Constitution has been violated by the Narendra Modi government. The way the pro-tem speaker has been appointed is a clear violation of the Constitutional provision and clear violation of the earlier precedent," he said.