New Delhi: Opposition MPs, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, staged a protest in the Parliament House Complex on Monday, demanding a discussion on the West Asia conflict and criticising the government for its “silence” on key issues related to it.
Earlier in the day, floor leaders of several opposition parties met in the chamber of the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Kharge, in the Parliament complex to deliberate on their strategy for the second half of the Budget Session of Parliament.
Besides Kharge and Gandhi, those present at the meeting included Ram Gopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, Dayanidhi Maran of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Supriya Sule of Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), and Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction), among others.
In a post on X, Kharge said that as Parliament reconvened for the second part of the Budget session, the United States–Israel conflict with Iran had reached India’s neighbourhood, making it imperative to hold a full-fledged discussion on the geopolitical crisis.
“A one-sided statement by the External Affairs Minister is not the solution. We need to collectively take the nation into confidence,” Kharge said, adding that the Government of India must present a detailed contingency plan to safeguard energy security, support traders, diversify export supply chains and prevent price hikes that burden citizens.
Later, opposition MPs staged a protest near the Makar Dwar of Parliament, demanding a debate on the West Asia conflict and accusing the government of remaining silent on critical issues related to the crisis.
Holding a large banner reading, “Gulf burning, oil shock. Indians stranded. India needs leadership — not silence,” the MPs raised slogans against the government and Narendra Modi.
Kharge, Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and Sagarika Ghose of the All India Trinamool Congress, among others, participated in the protest.
With PTI inputs