You've silenced the people of India: Rahul Gandhi at INDIA bloc rally against suspension of MPs

Speaking at the protest rally, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi attacked the Modi government for silencing crores of Indians by removing their representatives from the house, while Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that democracy in India “is under threat under the BJP government”.

“Some questions on the lapse in security of Parliament. First question: how did they get in? Second question: why did they choose this action? The answer is unemployment,” Gandhi said. "The country's media does not talk about unemployment, it just tries to divert attention. The MPs who were suspended are not just individuals but are the voices of the people of India. You have not only insulted the MPs but also silenced the people of India."

“The youth are on social media for hours… Because there are no jobs… This was the same feeling in the minds of those youngsters who entered Parliament,” Gandhi added.

Kharge said PM Modi is "drunk on power". Referring to the Telangana and Karnataka assembly polls, Kharge said Modi could not defeat a united opposition, and urged all the INDIA bloc parties to be ready to "sacrifice anything" to defeat the BJP in the Lok Sabha 2024 elections.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, “In the history of democracy in the world, 146 MPs have never been suspended… People should know that democracy is in danger. The protest is to tell the people that whatever is happening is wrong for the future of the country... There is only one solution, people should change this government and bring the INDIA alliance to power.”

Congress MP Randeep Surjewala told PTI, “Democracy is being strangled in India. If Parliament has to be run without opposition, if there is no freedom to ask questions, if the accountability of the government is not fixed, and if the Constitution is not followed, then what meaning will be left of Parliament?”

He said the INDIA bloc is fighting the battle together and will “neither be afraid nor get tired nor stop”.

A day after the conclusion of the winter session of Parliament, leaders of the Opposition INDIA bloc took to the streets across the country on Friday in protest against the mass suspension of 146 MPs.

A record number of MPs were suspended during the winter session for demanding Union minister Amit Shah's response to the Parliament security breach that took the nation by storm on 13 December. From 14 to 22 December, a total of 146 MPs were suspended from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for "disorderly conduct and disrupting House proceedings".

Several prominent opposition leaders gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to participate in the protest, where they criticised the Modi government on various fronts. The prevailing consensus among the leaders was that the only remedy for the "dictatorial and fascist threats to democracy" is a change in government.

Congress leader Mohammed Azharuddin reacted to the bulk suspension of MPs and said while suspension of five or six MPs may be understood, that of nearly 150 members is not democracy. Speaking to ANI, he said, “This message should reach the people. How will the Parliament function if all the MPs are out? There has not been any such violation. An MP has the privilege to put his point forward….”

Congress MP Manish Tewari told reporters, “To save democracy in the country, all nationalist organisations need to come together and send a message in one voice…"