'INDIA' placards appear in LS for first time, Oppn to stage dharna on Mon

"INDIA" placards appeared in the Lok Sabha for the first time on Friday with members of the newly formed opposition alliance waving them as they pressed for a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation in Manipur.

Members of the Congress and Left parties, among others, stormed into the well of the House carrying placards that read "INDIA wants reply, not silence", "INDIA wants PM to speak in Parliament".

This was the first time placards carrying the name of the opposition alliance appeared in the Lok Sabha.

"Manipur is burning, PM speak about it" read a placard waved by a Congress member in the well of the House.

The opposition alliance is scheduled to stage a joint dharna near the Gandhi statue in Parliament complex on Monday.

Twenty-six opposition parties on Tuesday announced an alliance to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The opposition parties, including arch rivals such as Congress, Trinamool Congress and Left parties, have named the front Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).

Members of the opposition alliance have been coordinating strategies to take on the BJP-led government in the ongoing Monsoon session and insisting on a statement from the prime minister in Parliament on the Manipur situation.

The northeastern state of Manipur has been engulfed in ethnic violence since May 3. More than 160 people have lost their lives and several have been injured in the violence so far.