Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi met AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh outside Parliament on Wednesday, July 26, to express her support for his ongoing sit-in protest against the suspension of 12 Opposition MPs from the Rajya Sabha.
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Sanjay Singh Protest
Sanjay Singh has been protesting since Monday, July 24, after he was suspended for the remaining duration of the Monsoon session of Parliament. The suspension came after he protested against the government’s handling of the recent violence in Manipur.
Sonia Gandhi met Sanjay Singh for about 15 minutes and told him that she was “solidly behind” his protest. She also said that she was “deeply disturbed” by the government’s decision to suspend the Opposition MPs.
Sanjay Singh’ tweet
In a tweet after the meeting, Sanjay Singh said that Sonia Gandhi had “expressed her solidarity” with the Opposition’s fight against “the undemocratic and authoritarian” government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
कांग्रेस की पूर्व अध्यक्ष श्रीमती सोनिया गांधी जी ने मुलाक़ात कर टीम INDIA द्वारा मणिपुर हिंसा के ख़िलाफ़ चलाये जा रहे आंदोलन पर कहा “मेरा समर्थन आपके साथ है” pic.twitter.com/h4th2ugiQu
— Sanjay Singh AAP (@SanjayAzadSln) July 26, 2023
The meeting between Sonia Gandhi and Sanjay Singh comes at a time when the Opposition is facing increasing pressure from the government. In recent weeks, the government has suspended several Opposition MPs, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and has also moved to disqualify several others.
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The Opposition has accused the government of trying to silence its critics and of stifling dissent. The government has denied these allegations, saying that it is simply acting against those who are breaking the rules of Parliament.
Meeting between Sonia Gandhi and Sanjay Singh
The meeting between Gandhi and Singh is seen as a sign of growing unity among the Opposition parties. The Opposition is planning to move a no-confidence motion against the government in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, July 27.
It remains to be seen whether the Opposition will be able to muster enough support to pass the no-confidence motion. However, the meeting between Gandhi and Singh is a clear indication that the Opposition is determined to fight back against the government.
Background
The suspension of the 12 Opposition MPs from the Rajya Sabha came after they protested against the government’s handling of the recent violence in Manipur. The violence erupted on July 22, after security forces raided a village in the state’s Churachandpur district. The raid reportedly led to the deaths of 14 civilians, including women and children.
The Opposition MPs have accused the government of using excessive force against the civilians. They have also demanded a judicial inquiry into the violence.
The government has denied the allegations of excessive force. It has said that the security forces were only acting in self-defense. The government has also said that it is committed to holding a judicial inquiry into the violence.
Impact
The suspension of the 12 Opposition MPs has sparked a major political crisis in India. The Opposition has accused the government of trying to silence its critics and of stifling dissent. The government has denied these allegations, saying that it is simply acting against those who are breaking the rules of Parliament.
The meeting between Gandhi and Singh is seen as a sign of growing unity among the Opposition parties. The Opposition is planning to move a no-confidence motion against the government in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, July 27.
It remains to be seen whether the Opposition will be able to muster enough support to pass the no-confidence motion. However, the meeting between Gandhi and Singh is a clear indication that the Opposition is determined to fight back against the government.
