'Democracy Is In Danger': Congress Reacts To Imposition Of Section 144 During Opposition's March

In an attack on the center, the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said that this showed that the country's democracy was in danger.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said that the imposition of section 144 of the CrPc near Vijay Chjowk is yet another example to show that "Democracy is in danger" in the country, reported news agency ANI. He came down hard on the center over the issue.

His comments came after the Opposition MPs were stopped by the police at the Vijay Chowk as they marched toward the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office to hand in a memo about the Adani stocks issue.

On Wednesday afternoon, leaders of several opposition parties began a protest march from the Parliament to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office during the second phase of the Parliament Budget Session.

Talking to ANI, Kharge said, "On one hand, they (BJP) talk about believing in democracy, and on the other hand, they stop a peaceful march that too by publicly elected MPs. Stopping us from submitting the memorandum at ED office, was wrong. We condemn this". 

"All we wanted to do was to peacefully submit the memorandum and come back, we should have been allowed," he added. 

In an attack on the center, the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said that this showed that the country's democracy was in danger.

"Even the ED refused to hear from us, stating that they were not notified, when we have already informed them. The government too stopped us before the Vijay Chowk. Anyone who says that Democracy is in danger, is called 'anti-national, but we all saw an example of the democracy being in danger today," Kharge added.

In addition, the Congress national president asserted that the government is delaying establishing a JPC.

"The government doesn't want to discuss the Adani issue and is refraining from setting up a JPC. PM Modi, Adani and all are connected, and they don't want any scandal to come out. But we won't stop and will keep on fighting. We will again raise the issue in the Parliament," he added. 

Kharge stated, "He (Rahul Gandhi) will himself give the answers to those allegations" when asked about the claims that Rahul Gandhi was "criticising the nation."

On the Adani issue, the Opposition leaders will submit a complaint to the investigation agency.

Notably, neither the Trinamool Congress (TMC) nor the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are participating in the protest march.

In response to the protest march that was led by leaders of the opposition parties, a lot of security has been put in place at the Vijay Chowk.

At Vijay Chowk, the police made announcements and told the opposition MPs marching not to continue because Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code has been imposed and no agitation is permitted in the area.

Earlier today, a number of Opposition MPs met in the Parliament chamber of opposition leader and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to discuss the Adani Group issue.

The Adani issue and the need for a JPC investigation into the Hindenburg-Adani report have been brought up by the opposition.

Monday marked the beginning of the second leg of Parliament's Budget session, which had been off for a month. The purpose of the recess was to make it possible for the department-specific Parliamentary Standing Committees to examine grant requests and produce reports pertaining to their respective ministries or departments.

During the protest and commotion in the house caused by the Opposition's regular protests, the Parliament has also experienced numerous disruptions.

16 parties attended a meeting of opposition party leaders in Parliament earlier on Monday, which was presided over by Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

Indian National Congress; Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Samajwadi Party; Janata Dal (United); Aam Admi Party; Communist Party of India (Marxist); Kerala Congress; Nationalist Congress Party; Communist Party of India; Indian Union Muslim League; Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray); Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam; Rashtriya Janata Dal; Jharkhand Mukti Morcha; Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and the NC attended the meeting.

On January 24, a concerned report from the short-seller Hindenburg Research, based in the United States, claimed that the Adani Group was involved in stock manipulation and accounting fraud, among other things.

It is pertinent to note that the Supreme Court established a committee of experts to examine the issue raised by the Hindenburg Research report on Adani Group businesses. The committee, will have six members and be led by Justice AM Sapre, a former judge on the Supreme Court.