Seven Opposition parties have written to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking his intervention to direct the Government to discuss farmers’ issues and Pegasus phone-tapping in Parliament.
The decision to knock the doors of Rashtrapati Bhavan took place after a meeting of the Opposition leaders held in the Parliament premises after the adjournment of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Though the Congress was also present in the meeting, the signatories of the letter are BSP, RLP, SAD, National Conference, CPI, CPI(M) and NCP. Later, the Opposition leaders joined senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge for a joint Press conference outside the Parliament.
Congress sources said that the grand old party did not became a signatory to the letter due to the presence of SAD however the both political parties will continue to fight for the right of farmers in the Parliament till justice met.
NCP leader Supriya Sule said the seven parties have written to the President seeking his intervention to instruct the government to discuss the farmers’’ issues and Pegasus snooping in the Parliament.
SAD leader Harsimrat Badal, who was a Minister in Modi government until she resigned to protest the controversial farm laws, said it is very unfortunate that farmers have died while protesting against the three farm laws but the Centre is not even ready to discuss their issues.
Addressing the Press conference, Kharge said, government is not interested in a meaningful discussion and debate.
“This Government does not believe in its accountability to the people of India through the Parliament. This Government has functioned in a manner, which has lowered the prestige of Indian Parliament and Indian democracy. What the opposition has demanded is fair, correct, within the ambit of rules and established Parliament practice and conventions. When collectively, the opposition gives a notice that matter has to be discussed, Parliament is not convened only for the legislative agenda of the Government,” Kharge said.
“We have no option, but to continue to agitate and we have come here all of us together, because what we say inside the house, does not reach the people, it is never telecast. Opposition is being blacked out inside the house, so through the media, we want to tell our people, we shall continue this fight. The government obdurate as it is, we will force them, as in a democratic set up it is done to come and debate, if the government has nothing to hide, let them start the debate today itself, the opposition is ready,” said Anand Sharma, Deputy Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha.
DMK’ Tiruchi Shiva, SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav, CPI leader Binoy Vishwam, TMC leader Sukhendu Shekhar Roy, RJD’s Manoj Jha and AAP leader Sanjay Singh attended the meet.