INDIA bloc parties hold online meeting ahead of Monsoon session
New Delhi, Jul 19 (PTI): INDIA bloc parties on Saturday held deliberations at an online meeting to reach a consensus on issues that they would raise to corner the government during Parliament's Monsoon session beginning July 21 and convey a message of unity.
Twenty-four political parties, including the Congress, TMC, DMK, RJD, SP, NCP-SP, Shiv Sena (UBT), JMM, CPI-M, CPI, CPI-ML, Forward Bloc, IUML and Kerala Congress, participated in the discussions.
The meeting came ahead of the Monsoon session, which begins on Monday. The opposition grouping met after a long gap as they jointly deliberated on the country's political situation.
"Leaders of 24 political parties belonging to the INDIA group have just begun their online pre-Parliament meeting," AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X after the meeting began.
The meeting was attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress parliamentary party chief Sonia Gandhi, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, NCP (SP)'s Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray (SS-UBT), Abhishek Banerjee (TMC), Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Ram Gopal Yadav (SP), Tiruchi Siva (DMK) M A Baby of CPI-M, D Raja (CPI), CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, among others.
The leaders deliberated on a host of key issues, including the Election Commission's special intensive revision of the electoral rolls in Bihar, the demand for a discussion on the Pahalgam attack, and Operation Sindoor.
The opposition parties are raising strong objections to the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar and are demanding that it be scrapped now, as assembly elections are slated in the next few weeks there. They have also been demanding answers on the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor and the losses that the country has suffered during it.
US President Donald Trump's claims of bringing about a halt in hostilities between India and Pakistan, and the push to impeach Justice Yashwant Varma, who is embroiled in a row following the discovery of burnt wads of currency at his residence after a fire incident, are also likely to feature in the discussions.
During the Parliament session, the top Congress leadership has resolved to raise issues such as the demand for the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and rising atrocities against women in the country.
The opposition party has also decided to raise farmers' problems, the issues of rising unemployment, safety and security of the country and the Ahmedabad air crash during the session.
Sonia Gandhi had convened a meeting of the party's parliamentary strategy group at her 10, Janpath residence here on Tuesday evening.
Leaders of 24 political parties belonging to the INDIA group have just begun their online pre-Parliament meeting. pic.twitter.com/j5HspeWktu
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BJP, Sena mock Uddhav over last row seat 'insult' at INDI meet; say Cong showed Sena (UBT) its place
Mumbai, Aug 8 (PTI): The BJP and Shiv Sena on Friday ridiculed Uddhav Thackeray over what they claimed was his "painful" last row seat "insult" at the INDI bloc meeting in Delhi a day earlier while asserting the Congress had shown ally Shiv Sena (UBT) its place.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said when Uddhav Thackeray was with the BJP, he always sat in the first row.
Speaking to reporters in Pune, Fadnavis said Thackeray talks about not bowing before Delhi.
"But see the situation now, when they are not even in power. It is painful. When he was with us, he was always seated in the front row, rather, ahead of all of us. Now it's evident how much respect he is getting there," the CM said.
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde further mocked Thackeray by saying those who have been insulted do not feel anything about the insult.
"Those who mortgage self-pride and abandon Bal Thackeray's ideals will not feel anything about it. Congress has shown them their place. You should ask them why they (Uddhav and Aaditya Thackeray) were made to sit in the back rows," Shinde said.
Thackery, his son Aaditya and party Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut were seen occupying the last rows during the INDI alliance meeting while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was giving a presentation on alleged irregularities in the electoral rolls.
The Maharashtra BJP posted a screenshot of the gathering on X, with the caption "Find self-respect in this picture!" and the hashtag '#last_row'.
Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar said, "Making Thackeray sit in the last row is an insult to Maharashtra. Uddhav may accept such an insult, but we are hurt. Rahul Gandhi should not have treated him this way."
BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye remarked, "When Uddhav Thackeray was with us, he was treated graciously and with proper respect. All the senior leaders of BJP used to visit his residence, Matoshri. Look at the situation now. He went with Congress and ended up in the last lane of insult and humiliation."
In a dig at the Thackerays, Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MP Naresh Mhaske said even parties with just one MP occupied the front rows.
"Balasaheb Thackeray taught us self-respect but you did not learn anything from his teachings. If you have any self-respect then rise against it," Mhaske said in a post on X.
Mhaske said on the occasion of Aurangzeb's 50th birthday, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was invited to Agra and Delhi.
However, after being made to sit in the ranks among 4,000 mansabdars (imperial officers), the humiliation inflamed Shivaji Maharaj's pride, and he walked out of the court defiantly.
"Where on one hand we had Shivaji Maharaj, who rose in anger over such an insult, today we have Uddhav Thackeray, who keeps sitting even after being pushed to the last row in a meeting of allied parties. This is a shameful sight for Maharashtra," Mhaske said.
On the one hand, Uddhav Thackeray claims to uphold Shivaji Maharaj's legacy, but on the other hand, he tramples every ideal of the great king, something he began the day he aligned with the Congress, Mhaske claimed.
Shiv Sena minister Uday Samant said when Shinde goes to Delhi, he is photographed sitting next to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while the Sena (UBT) leaders are photographed sitting in the last rows in the INDIA alliance meeting.
Maharashtra has found out who possesses what capability, Sawant said in a swipe at the Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership.
Responding to the attack, Aaditya Thackeray took a dig at Shinde and said some people jostle to sit in the front row.
"It was a homely environment (in the meeting). It is our decision on where to sit away from the screen. What has irked them (Shiv Sena and BJP) is that the Election Commission of India runs from their office which was exposed by Rahul Gandhi," Aaditya Thackeray said.
Raut said Gandhi was giving a presentation and Uddhav was asked to sit in the front.
But he (Uddhav) said it was comfortable sitting in the last rows for a better view, Raut claimed.
"Uddhav ji, Rashmi (Thackeray) and Aadity Thackeray were the only ones who Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi gave a tour of Rahul Gandhi's new house," Raut said.
