New Delhi (PTI): Congratulating Om Birla for being elected speaker of the Lok Sabha for a second term, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said he hoped the Opposition would be allowed to raise the voice of people in the House.

He also said the Opposition wanted the House to function "often and well" and added that it was very important that cooperation happens with trust.

"I'd like to congratulate you for your successful election... I congratulate you on behalf of the entire INDIA alliance. This House represents the voice of people of India... Of course the government has political power, but the opposition also represents the voice of India's people," the Congress leader said.

"The opposition would like to assist you in your work. I am confident you will allow us to speak in House," he said.

Pointing out that this time the opposition represents significantly more voices of the Indian people than last time, Gandhi stressed that it was very important that the voice of opposition is allowed to be represented in the House.

"I am confident that you will allow us to represent our voice, allow us to speak, to represent voice of people of India."

The question, he said, is not how efficiently the House is run, the question is how much of India's voice is allowed to be heard in the House.

"The idea that you can run the House efficiently by silencing the voice of opposition is a non-democratic idea. This election has shown that the people of India expect the opposition to defend the Constitution of this country and we are confident that by allowing Opposition to speak, you will do your duty of defending the Constitution of India," the Congress MP said.

 

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.

The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.

Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.

The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.

Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.

The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.