Opposition

CJP plans to begin its nationwide agitation from Mumbai's Shivaji Park, demanding Gyanesh Kumar's resignation, a halt to SIR and changes to the Election Commission appointment law

INDIA bloc on Wednesday finalised a joint action plan over the SIR row, including holding rallies and 'save democracy marches', with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge asserting that all parties agreed that elections should be held through ballot papers instead of EVMs. The opposition grouping made the assertion after a three-and-a-half hour meeting of its leaders, including Kharge, former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, RJD's Tejashwi Yadav and NCP(SP) MP Supriya Sule. At a joint briefing by INDIA bloc leaders after their meeting, Kharge said the leaders have decided on a joint action plan. Kharge said the parties have decided that involving young people and NGOs, "save democracy" marches will be taken out from October 2-8 and demonstrations will be held before the district magistrate's office. On October 6, all opposition MPs will march to the Election Commission, he said. The Leaders of ..

Opposition INDIA bloc parties are likely to meet in New Delhi on September 30 to discuss concerns over the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, besides other issues, sources said. The proposed meeting comes amid increased coordination among opposition parties over the Election Commission following reports of differences within the poll panel over aspects of the SIR exercise. The parties have been in touch with each other on the issue and are discussing a joint response, sources added. The CPI(M), CPI and CPI(ML)-Liberation have demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and an immediate halt to the SIR, while the Congress has also stepped up its attack on Kumar. The Congress Working Committee is scheduled to meet on September 29 to discuss its strategy on the issue. The developments have also brought West Bengal's bitter political rivals, the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC and the CPI(M), on the same page on the Election

Before deciding that the Election Commission of India has been unfair to the Opposition, we need to enable it to work efficiently and transparently

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke on Friday urged opposition parties to stop participating in elections if they believe the electoral process is being rigged, saying their continued participation only legitimises such polls and creates an "illusion" that they are free and fair. In a post on X, Dipke said opposition parties could not simultaneously claim that elections were being rigged and continue to contest them. "Yes, elections are being rigged. But when you continue to participate in rigged elections, you legitimise these elections and help maintain the illusion that they are free and fair," he said. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder questioned whether opposition parties continued to participate because they feared that staying away from elections would lead to their political extinction. "Maybe you keep contesting because you fear that if you don't, you will stop existing. But what kind of existence are you trying to protect when votes are being stolen, your MLAs and MPs are be

MPs, mostly belonging to the Opposition, on Wednesday expressed concern over the government's decision to levy a fee on UPI payments above Rs 2000 to merchants, claiming that the entire population of the country would be affected due to the "anti-people" move. Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance Bhartruhari Mahtab said that some MPs raised the issue at the meeting and said that it may be taken up at the next meeting of the panel. RSP MP NK Premchandran, who is a member of the committee, said that the entire population of the country would be affected by the government's decision to levy a fee on payments of above Rs 2000 to merchants. "It is a completely anti-people decision," Premchandran said. Ending nearly six years of fully free UPI payments, the government on Tuesday introduced a 0.4 per cent fee on transfers worth more than Rs 2,000 made to merchants through UPI from October 15, while explicitly ring-fencing everyday person-to-person transactions as we

The government's efforts for a debate on the students' agitation in the Lok Sabha on the penultimate day of the Monsoon session came to nought with the opposition rejecting Home Minister Amit Shah's proposal for a two-day discussion on the NEET paper leaks and other issues followed by a reply from him. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju suggested that the Monsoon Session could be extended if the opposition agrees to a discussion on Thursday. "Extension of the session is a very small matter. We are saying that even if Congress says at 11 am tomorrow that it is ready for discussion, we will extend the time," he said while responding to a query during a media interaction. Sources said the options of extending the session or a special sitting or special session are open but everything depends on the opposition's cooperation. The fast-paced developments -- which finally ended with the House being adjourned for the day -- kicked off with Shah first daring the opposition to submi

Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the government is ready to discuss all issues in Parliament, including students' protests, and asked the opposition to let the House function. Speaking to reporters in the Parliament House complex, Shah also asserted that he will give a reply to the debate and urged the opposition to give a notice to Lok Sabha speaker for a discussion on the topic by 2 pm on Wednesday. "We are ready to discuss all the issues in Parliament, including students' protests; let the House function," the home minister said. "If opposition gives it in writing to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla by 2 pm today, we can start a discussion at 3 pm today until 3 pm tomorrow," Shah said. "If the discussion starts at 3 pm today, I will give a reply tomorrow at 3 pm," the home minister added.

Opposition leaders have sharply criticised the Maharashtra government after data disclosed in the Lok Sabha showed that over 36,000 private companies were liquidated, dissolved, or struck off in the state over the last five financial years. They claimed excessive government interference, widespread corruption, and an increasingly unfavourable business environment as key drivers pushing commercial and industrial activity away from Maharashtra. The information was shared in the Lok Sabha by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs on August 10, in response to a question asked by Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha member Rajabhau Waje. Waje on Wednesday said that the closure of more than 14,000 companies in business services and nearly 6,500 in manufacturing was particularly alarming, as these sectors generate substantial employment. "Some 14,000 companies in business services and some 6,500 companies from manufacturing sectors have closed down in the last five fiscal years. These sectors generate ..

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday said the government is ready for a debate in the Lok Sabha on the student protests as well as police action, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will reply to the debate but the Opposition should given an assurance that they will not run away from it and listen peacefully. There has been a persistent demand from the Opposition for a statement from the home minister on the police action against students protesting in the city last month. Shah has not been seen in the House even though he has been regularly coming to Parliament House complex. Rijiju also said that since the government is ready for the debate on the student protests in different parts of the country, the Opposition can't create any turmoil and resort to any sloganeering during the discussion in the House as well as reply to the debate. "We have made it clear to the BAC (Business Advisory Committee) of the Lok Sabha that the government is ready for a detailed discussi

Opposition MPs took out a protest march in Parliament House complex on Wednesday, demanding Home Minister Amit Shah's statement on alleged police excesses on students, discussion on "misappropriation" of Ram temple donations and statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. Carrying placards and raising slogans against the government, the Opposition MPs, including Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, marched from the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Prerna Sthal to Makar Dwar. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also participated in the protest and demanded accountability from the government. Taking a swipe at Shah, Kharge asked why hasn't he been coming to the House. "They are disrespecting Parliament. It has been so many days but they don't want to step inside the House. What is the issue in coming to the House and giving a statement?" Kharge told reporters. Are they deaf and dumb, he asked. The MPs carried placards slamming

Today's Best of BS Opinion examines Gen Z protests, elite alienation, Krishna Byre Gowda's governance record in Karnataka, and the risks of performative brand activism

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on Friday, shortly after meeting at 11 am, amid sloganeering by Opposition MPs. As proceedings began, papers were laid on the table of the House and Opposition members demanded that Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge be allowed to speak. Chairman C P Radhakrishnan later permitted Kharge to speak, but ruled that no notices under Rule 267 will be admitted after the Leader of Opposition sought to raise some issues under the provision. Opposition members then raised slogans, including on the paper leaks issue, and on the alleged theft of donations from the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Amid the protests, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accused the Opposition of indulging in "sadak-chhap" politics and "playing with the dignity of the House". "They're doing sadak-chhap politics, playing with the dignity of the House. Democracy is being destroyed," Chouhan said. As the sloganeering continued, the Chairman adjourned the House for the day. The

Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Thursday, minutes after the House convened, amid slogan-shouting by the Opposition over various issues. Speaker Om Birla urged the members to let the Question Hour continue, but faced with an unbudging Opposition, he adjourned the House till 2 pm. On Tuesday as well, the Question Hour could not function. However, the bill to amend the anti-paper leaks law, with provisions for stricter punishment of up to 10 years in jail and a Rs 50 lakh fine, was passed by voice vote.

Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned on Monday following protests from Opposition parties demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah over alleged police brutality against students protesting the NEET paper leak in the national capital. When the Upper House assembled at 5.15 pm after four successive adjournments since morning, Opposition parties led by the Congress continued their protest demanding a statement from the Home Minister. Parliament Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government is ready for discussions on the issue and appealed to the Congress leader to discuss the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. "Such an important Bill has been brought forward. We appealed to Congress yesterday, we have been appealing to them since this morning, but they are not agreeing," said Rijiju. The government, which has moved the Bill in the Lok Sabha on Monday, has allotted time for discussions. "Here, too, as the Opposition party wanted, th

Carrying placards and a large banner, the Congress MPs protested in front of the steps of the Makar Dwar of Parliament

Opposition leaders criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he announced a Bill to curb paper leaks, saying he should discuss the issue in Parliament instead of speaking through a video message

A delegation of opposition MPs will visit Sonam Wangchuk at Gurugram's Medanta Hospital to persuade him to end his 25-day fast, and assure him that issues relating to the alleged irregularities in competitive examinations and accountability in the education sector will be raised in Parliament, sources said on Tuesday. The delegation will urge the activist, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for the last 25 days, to end his fast after assuring him that the Opposition will take up the matter inside Parliament, the sources said. Congress Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose and CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas will be among those who meet Wangchuk, according to the sources. Earlier, Wangchuk said he would end his fast if Members of Parliament and leaders of political parties assured him that the issue of accountability in the education sector would be taken up during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. However, following the police crackdown on ...

Several opposition leaders including NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal visited the Cockroach Janta Party's protest site at Jantar Mantar here on Tuesday, a day after the police crackdown on its 'Sansad Chalo' march, and extended support to the agitation over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations. Pawar, accompanied by party MP Supriya Sule, met injured protesters and members of the movement and condemned the police action during Monday's attempted march to Parliament. Among other political leaders who visited the protest site were Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs Sanjay Raut and Arvind Sawant, Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji, AAP leader Gopal Rai, Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani, and a delegation of parliamentarians from Left parties. According to a statement issued by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Pawar said the voices of students demanding a fair and transparent examination system could not be silenced through force and assured that the NCP (SP) wou

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi along with some opposition MPs met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday and urged him to allow a discussion in the House on the "brutality unleashed" on students and the government's "complete lack of accountability" for the examination crisis. Besides Gandhi, SP's Dharmendra Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT's) Arvind Savant, RSP's N K Premchandran, among others, met the Speaker in his office before the House proceedings began. In a post on X, Gandhi said, "Met the Hon'ble Lok Sabha Speaker today along with MPs of the Opposition. Our demand is simple: Parliament must have a detailed discussion on the brutality unleashed on students yesterday and on the government's complete lack of accountability for the examination crisis." Students were beaten for asking legitimate questions about their own future, Gandhi said. If Parliament cannot discuss the future of India's youth, what is it for, he asked. "The Opposition will not let this be buried. We will ensure th