The entire opposition, under the banner of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, staged a loud protest outside the new Parliament building on Wednesday, demanding the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the alleged police action against demonstrators at Jantar Mantar and near Parliament House that left around eighty people injured.
Carrying a huge banner that read in bold letters “Who gave the orders”, leaders and MPs from constituent parties of the INDIA bloc gathered at the Parliament precincts early in the morning and raised slogans holding the Home Ministry responsible for the crackdown.
They alleged that innocent protestors were lathi-charged and detained without provocation while raising democratic demands, and that accountability for the orders must be fixed at the highest level.
All the protestors were holding playcards written over them Amit Shah resign and Chanda Choron gaddi chodon.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were present, along with a large number of Congress MPs from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. From the Trinamool Congress, Derek O’Brien, Mahua Moitra, Sudip Bandyopadhyay and other TMC parliamentarians joined the protest. The DMK was represented by Kanimozhi, TR Baalu and other senior MPs.
The Samajwadi Party delegation included Akhilesh Yadav along with party MPs, while the RJD was led by Tejashwi Yadav and Manoj Jha. Leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party, including Sanjay Singh , also participated.
The Left parties were represented by CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D. Raja and their respective MPs. The Nationalist Congress Party, Shiv Sena (UBT), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, IUML, RLD, and other INDIA constituents also fielded their senior leaders and MPs at the site.
Addressing the gathering, opposition leaders said the use of force against peaceful protestors near the seat of democracy was unacceptable and reflected an attempt to stifle dissent. They said the Home Minister must answer who authorized the action and must take moral responsibility by resigning. The protestors demanded a judicial inquiry into the incidents at Jantar Mantar and near Parliament House, immediate medical assistance and compensation for the injured, and strict action against officials found responsible.
Security was tightened around the new Parliament building as the protest continued for over an hour. The opposition said it will raise the issue inside both Houses and will take the demand for accountability to the people if the government fails to respond.
