Page 28 - Opposition Parties

Oppn using wrestlers as weapon; we won't protect guilty: West UP BJP chief

The government intends welfare of sportspersons and it is the Opposition which is "using" the protesting wrestlers as "weapon" against the Centre, BJP's western Uttar Pradesh chief Satyendra Sisodia said, underlining that his party will not work to protect anyone guilty. A group of wrestlers, including Olympians and World Championship medallists, have been protesting against outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, demanding his arrest on allegations of sexual harassment against seven wrestlers, including one minor. Singh, a BJP Lok Sabha MP, has denied all the charges. After a meeting with Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, the wrestlers on Wednesday announced suspension of their protest till June 15 the time by which Delhi Police is expected to complete its probe into the sexual harassment allegations. "Only people engaged in politics are giving this issue a political colour. Our government is definitely with the sportspersons. Investigation ...

If Oppn comes with a credible alternative, people may consider it: Pawar

If the Opposition comes up with a credible alternative ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, people may consider it, said NCP president Sharad Pawar on Tuesday, stressing that the decision on the new Parliament building could have been taken through dialogue with political parties. The senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader was speaking in a Sauhard Baithak' (meeting to foster amity) at Mahatma Gandhi Mission University in Maharashtra's Aurangabad. Speaking about next year's general elections, he said, My concern is if people will have the same approach for the (2024) Lok Sabha elections as they have for states (assembly polls). If the Opposition unites and offers a credible alternative, people may consider it. If the Opposition doesn't move wisely, it can't expect people to think of a different choice on their own, he said. Many opposition parties, including the Congress and JD(U), are trying to forge unity ahead of next year's Lok Sabha polls. If rulers accept the polic

Odisha accident: 12 parties demand Rail min's resignation, reject CBI probe

Rejecting a CBI probe into the Balasore train accident, Odisha units of 12 political parties, including Congress and Left parties, on Monday demanded the formation of a Special Investigation Team and resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to pave way for an impartial inquiry. The parties, including Congress, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML) Liberation, CPI(ML) Red Star, All India Forward Bloc, Samajwadi Party, RJD, NCP, RPI, AAP and Samata Kranti Dal, held a joint meeting here and passed a resolution stating that they rejected a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), accusing the central agency of "working at the behest of the BJP". They demanded that a court-monitored investigation by the central SIT be conducted into the case. However, the ruling BJD in Odisha welcomed the CBI probe and hoped that the "real culprit" behind the incident will be caught. "There is no problem with a CBI probe. We want the real culprit to be nabbed," senior BJD leader and Odisha minister ..

Oppn misused wrestlers: Yogeshwar Dutt on scuffle between wrestlers, Police

The Delhi Police have registered an FIR against organisers of the wrestlers' protest and their supporters for violating law and order in connection with the scuffle that broke out at Jantar Mantar

Opposition parties' meeting in Patna likely to take place on June 12

The much-awaited meeting of parties opposed to the BJP may be held here on June 12, according to hints that have emanated from a meeting of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) here on Sunday. While no significant office bearer confirmed or denied the same, many present at the meeting said on condition of anonymity that the disclosure was made by the chief minister himself. Kumar, the JD(U)'s supreme leader, has been pitching for "opposition unity" ever since he snapped ties with the BJP in August last year, following accusations that the ally was trying to create fissures in his party and diminish his standing. Kumar, who is now heading an alliance government in Bihar which includes RJD, Congress and the Left, has reached out to leaders like Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, all of whom are opposed to BJP but not very comfortable with the grand old party either. In fact, the idea of hosting a meeting of opposition leaders in Patna was floated by Banerjee, who

Congress cannot tolerate good things...: Pralhad Joshi slams Oppn parties

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi slammed the Opposition parties' boycott of the new Parliament building inauguration and said that Congress cannot tolerate good things happening

Ex-bureaucrats condemn Oppn for boycotting new Parliament inauguration

A group of 270 eminent citizens, including former bureaucrats, ambassadors and veterans, on Friday condemned the Opposition for boycotting new Parliament building inauguration and claimed the "family-first" parties have come together to boycott all that represents India. While it is a proud occasion for all Indians but opposition parties with their "skeletal arguments, immature, whimsy and hollow reasoning, and most of all flagrant display of non-democratic posturing, just don't get it", they said in a statement. A democratically elected prime minister of India who has inspired a billion Indians with his authenticity, inclusive policies, strategic vision, commitment to deliver and most of all, his Indianness is "unpalatable to the Congress and other opposition parties", they added. The signatories to the statement included 88 retired bureaucrats, 100 veterans and 82 academicians. Former NIA director Y C Modi, former IAS officers R D Kapoor, Gopal Krishna and Samirendra Chatterjee,

Chirag Paswan condemns Oppn move to boycott new Parl building inauguration

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi extending his wishes for inauguration of the new Parliament building and condemned opposition parties for announcing boycott of the event. "I and my party - LJP (Ram Vilas) - condemns the decision by 19 opposition parties to boycott the inauguration of new Parliament building... The decision by opposition parties to boycott this historic moment is an attack on the democratic values and constitutional institutions," Paswan said in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Modi. Paswan said opposition parties have disrupted Parliament proceedings repeatedly over the last nine years. He said his party, while being in the ruling alliance and after quitting it, has supported government's decisions take in public interest. "I and my party support you and urge the Opposition to reconsider their stand," he added. As many as 19 opposition parties, including the Congress, Left, TMC, SP and AAP, c

Oppn boycott: Jaishankar says there should be a limit to doing politics

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday described as unfortunate the decision by 20 opposition parties to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building and said there should be a limit to doing politics. Jaishankar, who is on a two-day visit to Gujarat, was speaking to reporters at Rajpipla town of Narmada district. He said the inauguration of the new Parliament building should be celebrated as a festival by the entire nation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the new structure on Sunday. The opposition parties contend that President Droupadi Murmu should do the honours as she is not only the Head of State, but also an integral part of Parliament as she summons, prorogues, and addresses it. I believe that the inauguration of the new Parliament building should be taken as a festival of democracy and it should be celebrated in that spirit. It should not be made a subject of controversy. It is unfortunate if it becomes a subject of controversy, said

PM Modi takes swipe at Opposition for boycotting Parliament inauguration

On Wednesday, the 19 like-minded parties in a joint statement said, "When the soul of democracy has been sucked out from the Parliament, we find no value in a new building"

Oppn boycotting Parl inauguration blatant affront to democratic values: NDA

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance launched a sharp counterattack on Opposition parties for their decision to boycott the new Parliament building's inauguration, calling their stand a "blatant affront to democratic ethos and constitutional values of our great nation". In a statement, leaders of 14 parties of the ruling alliance also implored the opposition parties to reconsider their decision and said the people of India will not forget their "egregious insult to our democracy and to their elected representatives" if they go ahead with their stand. With Congress and several other parties claiming that the May 28 inauguration of the building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and not President Droupadi Murmu is an insult to the highest constitutional office, the NDA hit back. It recalled their opposition to her presidential bid as the NDA candidate and said their "disrespect" shown towards her is a new low in political discourse. "The staunch opposition to her candidature is not

YSR Cong to attend new Parliament building inauguration amid Oppn boycott

YSRCP MP Vijayasai Reddy has already welcomed the inauguration. "The new building is a depiction of an India that is modern, self-reliant and proud"

Reconsider decision to boycott inauguration: Union minister to Oppn parties

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Wednesday termed as "unfortunate" the decision by 19 opposition parties to boycott the inauguration ceremony of the new Parliament building and urged them to reconsider their stand. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the new Parliament building on Sunday. The opposition parties contend that President Droupadi Murmu should do the honours as she was not only the Head of State, but also an integral part of Parliament as she summons, prorogues, and addresses it. "Boycotting and making an issue out of a non-issue is most unfortunate. I appeal to them to reconsider their decision and join the function," Joshi told reporters here on the sidelines of a national workshop on National e-Vidhan Application. Joshi said the Lok Sabha Speaker was the custodian of Parliament and he has extended an invitation to the prime minister to inaugurate the building.

RJD joins Oppn parties boycott of new Parliament building inauguration

The reason to boycott the even was because the Prime Minister was inaugurating the building and not President Droupadi Murmu, which according to the parties, was an insult to her

Support strong regional parties in next Lok Sabha polls: Abdullah to Oppn

Veteran politician and former Union minister Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said the main opposition parties should support strong regional parties as he mooted a "one against one" strategy to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. "I am not so sure of the Opposition's unity but as far as Lok Sabha elections are concerned I think the states matter now and all the opposition parties must realise that," Abdullah, 85, said. Giving an example, he said that if in West Bengal Mamata Banerjee is strong, "we must make sure that she does well, rather than creating hurdles for the TMC leader. Similarly, in Bihar Nitish (Kumar's JDU) and RJD, if they are doing well, don't create hurdles for them. Similarly in Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh (Yadav of SP) is doing well so let us not create such a situation. "And I think one of the most important things is that if you really want to beat them (BJP), then there should be one against one. Where a Congress candidate can win, let not another one stand.

Alliance of major opposition parties not possible at national level: CPI-M

Opposition unity in the form of an alliance of all major opposition parties cannot be forged at the national level, the CPIM has said, adding it can be gained only by adopting a joint stand on important political issues. The latest editorial of party mouthpiece, People's Democracy, has said that zeroing in on one who could be the face of the opposition at the national level is a "fruitless pursuit". The party also said that to advocate that the strongest opposition party in a state, whether it be a regional party or a national party, should be allowed to set the terms for an understanding with other parties to ensure a one-to-one contest against the BJP and its allies are far from ground realities and do not take into account the complexities and the diverse character of the opposition parties. "First of all, it should be clear that opposition unity in the form of an alliance or front of all the major opposition parties cannot be forged at the national level. This erroneous idea

Congress President Kharge dials Kejriwal, calls for Opposition unity

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge telephoned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday, a day after the AAP convenor was summoned by the CBI, and stressed the need for opposition parties to unite against the BJP ahead of the 2024 general elections, sources said. Kharge is learnt to have expressed solidarity with Kejriwal, who will appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for questioning in the Delhi excise policy case on Sunday, they said. The CBI on Friday summoned Kejriwal to answer queries of the investigating team as a witness in the excise policy case. His former deputy Manish Sisodia was arrested in the case last month. Kharge's outreach is part of the Congress' efforts to bring several like-minded parties together on a common platform in their fight against the BJP. The Congress president will be hosting a meeting of senior leaders of various parties in the next few days to chalk out a common programme. Kharge has already spoken to a number of ...

As Nitish tries to bring Opposition together, here's a look at his journey

The Bihar CM met with Congress leadership on Wednesday and indicated he would work towards bringing the Opposition together ahead of the 2024 General Elections

Over 2K incidents of violence against Oppn in 40 days in Tripura: CPI-M

Sarkar said that almost every day since March 2, incidents of attacks on opposition party members and supporters are being reported and at least five people were killed

Opposition has to unite to win elections against BJP: Farooq Abdullah

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said opposition parties will have to unite if they want to win elections against the BJP. The Lok Sabha member from Srinagar also said that discussions are going on and "I can see good results coming on the unity front (at the national level)". "Alliance is the only thing which will unite us. We cannot fight individually. That is why even the opposition parties at the national level are trying to find ways to unite so that we can win the elections," Abdullah said in response to a question by reporters at Larnoo in Anantnag district. He had gone to Larnoo to attend a condolence meeting. Asked about the issue of removal of certain portions related to Mughals from textbooks, Abdullah said history cannot be erased. "How will they forget Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb, Akbar, Babar, Humayun and Jahangir? They ruled for 800 years. No Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Christian felt threatened. When they will show Taj Mahal, what will they say who bu