Opposition MPs protests outside Parliament

Expressing concern over the plight of common man, MPs of various opposition parties led by Rahul Gandhi today staged a protest against the demonetisation.

New Delhi, Nov 28: Expressing concern over the plight of common man, MPs of various opposition parties led by Rahul Gandhi today staged a protest against the government on the demonitisation issue in front of Parliament as part of the 'Jan Aakrosh Divas' observed across the country.

However, no MP from Trinamool Congress, JD(U), SP and BSP, BJD were seen at the joint Opposition dharna outside Parliament though they raised their voices against the move in the House.

Besides the Congress vice-president, many senior party leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Veerappa Moily along with JP Yadav of RJD, Supriya Sule of NCP, Kanimozhi of DMK and Mohd Salim of CPI(M) participated in the protest near Gandhi statute.

Raising slogans, the MPs demanded steps to ease the problems being faced by the people due to the demonitisation drive.

"There is anger against demomitisation which is reflecting from Parliament to street. In the name of fighting black money, poor have been made to suffer while rich people have been let off," RJD MP JP Yadav alleged.

Congress leader Moily termed the Modi government's move was a "fake fight and not a genuine fight against black money." "Black money is a cause of corruption.

But where is the fight against corruption? What happened to Lokpal?" he asked and added the money in circulation cannot be called black money.

"We are interested in discussion. PM must come to the House to explain," he said. Scindia said, "It has happened for the first time in the world that one cannot draw one's own money. So we are raising the common man's voice outside and inside Parliament."

Asked about parties holding protests separately, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said, "There is no division among opposition. All parties may march separately but they are striking together. Parliament is not functioning because PM is no coming to the House."

PTI