Tag: opposition

House must have leader of opposition, says SC

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday said that a House must have a leader of opposition as it asked the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council chairman’s office to file its response on a plea moved by a Samajwadi Party (SP) MLC.
A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala observed, “A House must have a leader of opposition”.
The remarks of the bench came after advocate MS Dhingra, appearing for UP Legislative Council chairman’s office, sought time to file the reply.

The bench posted the matter for further hearing on May 1.
Samajwadi Party (SP) MLC Lal Bihari Yadav in his plea has challenged an Allahabad High Court order that upheld the withdrawal of his recognition as the leader of opposition.
On February 10, the top court had agreed to hear Yadav’s plea and issued a notice to the office of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council chairman, whose notification dated July 7, 2022 withdrew the petitioner’s recognition as the LoP.
Yadav had submitted that the LoP is the leader of the single-largest opposition party in the House.
The top court had said, “What we have to see is whether there is any restriction provided under the statute that the leader of the opposition will be the one from the party having a certain number of seats.”

In the 100-member House, 90 are elected and 10 nominated.
The notification from the House chairman’s office says the LoP will be from a party that enjoys at least 10 per cent of the total strength of the House.
Yadav has said in his arguments that the SP should get the LoP post as it has nine members which is 10 per cent of 90 elected members. The government has opposed his argument, saying it should be 10 per cent of the total strength, and a party with at least 10 members is eligible to get the post.
On October 21 last year, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had dismissed Yadav’s plea that had challenged the notification issued by the principal secretary of the legislative council, de-recognising him as the LoP.
The high court had said in view of the prevailing law, Yadav did not have an inalienable right to be appointed or to continue as the LoP.
It had said the Uttar Pradesh State Legislature (Members’ Emoluments and Pension) Act, 1980 does not prescribe any mechanism for recognising an LoP.
“The chairman of the Vidhan Parishad was not bound to be guided only by the criterion of recognising the leader of an opposition party, which has the greatest numerical strength. The rules provide for discretion of the respondent no.1 (legislative council chairman) to recognise and/or de-recognise a leader of opposition,” it had said.
According to the petition, Yadav was elected as an MLC in 2020 and designated as the LoP in the Legislative Council on May 27, 2020.
But the Legislative Council Secretariat de-recognised him as the LoP when the SP’s strength in the House fell short of 10 — the minimum number of members required for the largest opposition party to get the post.
Yadav has pleaded that the principal secretary’s decision was “illegal and arbitrary”.
He has sought a direction to stay the operation of the July 7, 2022 notification by which his recognition as the LoP in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council was withdrawn.
The SP leader has also sought the quashing of the notification.
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#House #leader #opposition
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 10, 2023
Kharge sets wheels of opposition unity moving, despite divergence on Adani

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New Delhi: At a time when Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar, a Congress ally in Maharashtra, has expressed doubts over Opposition’s demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the allegations of financial irregularities levelled against the Adani Group, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge is leaving no stone unturned to gloss over the issue and project a united Opposition face in the run-up to next year’s Lok Sabha polls.
“I feel that instead of a JPC, a Supreme Court-appointed commission is more reliable and independent,” Pawar said.
Amid all these developments, taking the first step to unite the Opposition parties, Kharge recently rang leaders of various like-minded parties, including DMK’s M.K. Stalin, Nitish Kumar of the JD(U) and Uddhav Thackeray of the Shiv Sena (UBT), inviting them for a meeting in Delhi next month to formalise a common agenda.

With Opposition leadership being a core issue as the Trinamool Congress, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and parties like the Samajwadi Party might not accept the Congress leading the front, Kharge has tried to clear the matter by stating that there should not be an obsession over leadership among the Opposition parties.
“The issue of leadership will arise when the time is ripe. It will be a collective decision. We will unitedly fight the polls as people are fed up with the Modi government’s policies,” Kharge said.
Also, on BJP attacking the Congress over dynasty politics, Kharge said that since 1998, no Gandhi family member has been either a Prime Minister or a minister.
“The Gandhi family has been agitating on people’s issues for the past many years while others are just enjoying themselves,” Kharge said.
He added that all the issues to be raised in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls will be discussed at an appropriate time.

Meanwhile, BRS leader and Rajya Sabha MP K. Keshava Rao said that though his party has been politically distant from the Congress, it is with the main Opposition party on certain issues.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also said that he is waiting for the Congress to take the initiative to bring the Opposition together.
On Pawar saying that a Supreme Court monitored probe is enough on the ongoing Adani row, the Congress was quick to respond that it is his personal opinion and the entire Opposition wants a JPC.
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “The NCP may have its view, but 19 like-minded Opposition parties are convinced that the Adani Group issue is real and very serious. But the Opposition is united and will be together in saving the Constitution and our democracy from the BJP’s assaults and in defeating the BJP’s divisive and destructive political, social and economic agenda.”
The Shiv Sena was also quick to say that Pawar’s statement will not cause any harm to the MVA in Maharashtra.
Although the first step has been taken for Opposition unity, there are still miles to go.
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#Kharge #sets #wheels #opposition #unity #moving #divergence #Adani
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 9, 2023
Opposition, government spar over IT Amendment Rules

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New Delhi: Under attack over the fact-check provisions of the IT Amendment Rules, Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Friday dismissed the criticism as “deliberate misinformation”.
Chandrashekar’s remarks came in response to CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury describing the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules as “draconian”, “unacceptable” and one that gave “sweeping powers” to the Press Information Bureau to “censor content” on social media platforms.
Besides Yechury, Congress leader Pawan Khera and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also slammed the IT Amendment Rules as a “new way to restrict news critical of the government”.

“There are NO Sweeping powers – neither is it ‘draconian’. IT Rules already have provisions from Oct 2022, which mandate Social Media intermediaries to not carry certain types of content if they are to have legal immunity under Sec79 of IT act,” Chandrasekhar said on Twitter.
He said the new credible fact-checking unit for all government-related content will help social media intermediaries.
“Social Media intermediaries will have the option to follow or disregard fact checking finding. If they choose to disregard fact checking, the only consequence is that the concerned department can pursue legal remedy against the social media intermediary,” the minister said.
Chandrasekhar said the goal of the government was to ensure that the Internet was safe and trusted for all citizens.
The minister asked “Comrade Yechury” to direct his “draconian” tweets at the Left Front government in Kerala led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan “who raids media channels”.

Hitting back at the opposition, Chandrasekhar recalled the use of Section 66A of the IT Act during the UPA government to “jail” young cartoonists for drawing cartoons.
“To Comrade Yechury, Comrade Rahul and all other Lefties and latest entrant Uddhav’s party with no name. Even as you two (or 3) besties try hard to misrepresent & lie about our serious work at creating a misinformation-free Internet in India whilst protecting fundamental rights, let me remind you of your joint terrible draconian record on free speech Eg Use of Sec66A of IT act – where young cartoonists were sent to jail for cartoons,” the minister said.
Earlier, Khera had said the new IT Rules make the government “judge, jury and executioner” when it comes to monitoring content on social media platforms.
“They are afraid of voices of dissent, they are afraid of questions, they are afraid of anybody who can corner them with their questions or with their facts. The news rules are on online platforms where PIB will decide what is fake and what is not fake,” Khera said.
Chaturvedi said the IT Amendment Rule was a new way of restricting any news critical of the government.
“Silencing the opposition and opposing voices is now complete. Made broadcast and print media toothless, now social media platforms will be made defunct,” said Chaturvedi, a Rajya Sabha member.
On Thursday, Chandrasekhar had said that the IT ministry will notify an entity that will flag false information posted online pertaining to the government.
“Government has decided to notify an entity through Meity and that organisation then would be the fact checker for all aspects of content online and only those content that are related to the government,” Chandrasekhar had said.
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#Opposition #government #spar #Amendment #Rules
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 7, 2023
Budget Session: Opposition MPs’ Tiranga March

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Budget Session: Opposition MPs’ Tiranga March
New Delhi: Congress President and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge with fellow opposition MPs takes out Tiranga March towards Vijay Chowk, on the last day of the Budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Thursday, April 6, 2023. (PTI Photo/Arun Sharma)
New Delhi: Congress President and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge with fellow opposition MPs takes out Tiranga March towards Vijay Chowk, on the last day of the Budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Thursday, April 6, 2023. (PTI Photo/Vijay Verma)
New Delhi: Congress President and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge with Congress MP Sonia Gandhi and other fellow opposition MPs takes out Tiranga March towards Vijay Chowk, on the last day of the Budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Thursday, April 6, 2023. (PTI Photo/Vijay Verma)
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Sad that opposition did not discuss Budget: Nirmala Sitharaman

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New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday expressed discontent over the opposition’s conduct in the Budget Session of Parliament which is moving towards closure with a persistent logjam, and said that the Centre wanted to discuss the Budget 2023-24, but the opposition did not.

This comes after the opposition came down very heavily on the government for passing the Finance Bill within minutes and without any discussion in both Houses.

Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram led the attack saying that it is “the worst message from a parliamentary democracy is to approve a Budget without discussion”.

Responding to the charges, Sitharaman said that it is unfortunate that the opposition did not want the discussion to happen at all.

“We would’ve wanted to have a detailed discussion on the Budget. But unfortunately, the opposition didn’t. The preparation of the Budget and it’s implementation is a mammoth exercise. My team and I were prepared to answer all the questions. Sad that opposition did not discuss Budget,” she said.

Lok Sabha had passed the Finance Bill 2023 with 64 amendments on March 24 amid din due to sloganeering by the opposition parliamentarians. On March 24, Lok Sabha approved the Finance Bill 2023 which had an amendment from the Bill approved by the House last week. The bill with an amendment moved by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was passed earlier in the day by Rajya Sabha. The change related to Securities Transaction Tax levied on the sale of options trading.

During the passage of the Bill, Rajya Sabha Chairman had requested the opposition parties to hold a discussion on this crucial legislature for which the BAC had allotted 10 hours of time.

“There are so many learned MPs who come prepared with so many important questions related to the Bill which we come prepared for. Nobody can allege that my government or I are running away from any answers,” Sitharaman further elaborated.

The bill was passed amid ruckus in the two Houses over opposition demand for a JPC on the Adani issue.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharman tabled the Finance Bill after presenting the Union Budget 2023-24 on February 1.

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#Sad #opposition #discuss #Budget #Nirmala #Sitharaman

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

YS Sharmila calls for joint opposition march over TSPSC paper leak

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Hyderabad: Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Telangana Party (YSRTP) chief YS Sharmila on Saturday called on opposition leaders for a joint march to Pragati Bhavan over TSPSC paper leak case.

YS Sharmila said she had telephoned Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Chief Revanth Reddy and Telangana Bhartiya Janta Party chief Bandi Sanjay and appealed to join her in the fight against the K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR)-led government that has been deceiving the jobless youth and driving them to suicide and depression.

She said, “It is high time that opposition parties come together, and have a joint action plan to fight against the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) government that is playing with the lives of the unemployed, educated youth.”

“Let us together march towards Pragati Bhavan and bring KCR to the task. If we fail at this moment to come together, then KCR will finish the opposition parties in spirit,” she added.

In the statement, the YSRTP Chief also stated that both the opposition leaders have extended their support.

Responding to the statement, TPCC Vice President Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy said, “Today morning YSRTP President Sharmila has called TPCC President Revanth Reddy in regard to the march towards Pragati Bhavan relating to unemployment issues and the recent paper leak issue. Revanth Reddy has responded and said that he will be talking to the leaders of the Congress party and revert back to her.”

Reacting to the statement of YS Sharmila, BJP Spokesperson NV Subhash said, “As far as the Telangana BJP and our President Bandi Sanjay is concerned, whenever there are issues for the people, he has taken a bold step and gone in support of the people.”

“The Telangana government has literally failed here. The BRS party has promised so many hopes to the people of the state, especially the youth. As far as the TSPSC issue is concerned, it is very unfortunate and we demand a thorough inquiry into it,” he added.

Talking about the investigation, Subhash said, “Definitely, the culprits should be punished. BJP has demanded that around Rs one lakh compensation should be paid to the unemployed youth and there should be an enquiry from a High Court sitting judge.”

“We also demand that KT Rama Rao (KTR) should be sacked from the cabinet. Apart from that, we have heard that YS Sharmila has called for opposition unity on the issue. Definitely, the BJP will discuss it with the state executive members, senior leaders and office bearers. We are expected to call for a meeting and then the party will decide what to do, whether to go on individually or with the other opposition leaders,” he added.

TSPSC on March 15 had cancelled the Assistant Engineers (AE) exam held on March 5, following allegations of the question paper leak.

On March 13, police arrested nine people, including two employees of the TSPSC. Following the arrest of the accused, the Commission cancelled the exam and also postponed other exams scheduled to be held later this month.

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#Sharmila #calls #joint #opposition #march #TSPSC #paper #leak

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

Congress Misused Art 356 To Topple Opposition 93 Times: Rana

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SRINAGAR: Describing the Congress as the biggest pollutant in the Indian polity Senior BJP leader Devender Singh Rana on Saturday said history is replete of instances when the congress party belittled democracy by imposing emergency in 1975, abusing Article 356 to topple the duly elected governments 93 times and customizing the national politics by coining the slogan, ‘India is Indira, Indira is India’ way back in 1974.

Calling Congress a fast dwindling political party of the country, Rana while addressing the party workers at Samba said that Congress demolished and mutilated all the institutions of Indian democracy and disfigured its federal structure.

“Those were the times the people had been subjected to unprecedented repression and political exploitation by a family that pushed the stalwarts of the Indian freedom movement to oblivion for lust of power”, he added.

He blamed the Congress for bringing criminalization in Indian politics and dividing the society on caste and religious lines to create vote banks. The posterity will never forgive the Congress for sowing the seeds of caste-culture in the Indian polity that has adversely impacted the society over the decades, he added.

“Times have gone and the factotums of the dynasts must now learn to reconcile and adopt the new political culture of the greatest democracy of the world where a common man belonging to Other Backward Classes can rise to become the Prime Minister and a tribal woman making it to the highest office of Head of the Nation”, Mr Rana said, adding this is New India, which is stepping towards becoming the Vishwa Guru.

The Senior BJP leader termed the euphoria of the opposition as a sign of deep frustration on the face of shrinking political space across the country due to acts of omission and commission and the open loot that has brought them together to form a coalition of corrupt. The fear of being caught for plundering the public exchequer has snatched from them their basic sense of proportion, which is why the political discourse has gone down to the lowest depths of Indian history. In their attempt to demean the nation just because of hate Narendra Modi syndrome, they have started targeting the institutions, not only across the country but around the world as well, he said, adding that this is the least the people of the country will tolerate.

Devender Rana said the joining of hands by north-pole and south- pole of Indian politics is not without an agenda either. Coming as it is at a time when India has emerged as the fifth largest economy of the world and is all set to be the third in the next few years, some elements are desperate to scuttle the nation’s growth story because they don’t want India to shine under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Progressive India is an eye-sore for some nations as well, which is why the rejected politicians back home are getting oxygen to weaken the nation from within. He said all these forces will not succeed, given the resolve of Indians, irrespective of religion, region, caste or creed, to make their nation the world leader.

Rana said the coalition of corrupt and inimical forces abroad are destined to fail in their machinations, adding that this is just a matter of time.

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#Congress #Misused #Art #Topple #Opposition #Times #Rana

( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

Opposition slams Odisha govt over Naba Das murder case

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Bhubaneswar: The opposition BJP and Congress members on Wednesday created a ruckus in the Odisha Assembly once again over then Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das’ murder case.

The House witnessed several adjournments during the pre-lunch session as the Opposition members stalled the proceedings.

On the passing of two months of the murder of the then health minister, the Opposition members raised the issue during the zero hour and alleged that the state government is trying to cover up the issue.

The BJP legislators also held a dharna near the entrance of the Assembly in protest against the slow probe process.

“Two months have passed since the murder of Naba Das. But it is still unclear what the motive was and who was behind the murder. The murder was committed as part of a conspiracy,” said Leader of Opposition Jayanarayan Mishra from BJP.

He said the police are trying to cover up the case as “many bigwigs are involved”.

“Odisha Police are telling new stories. There was no result in the investigation. When the Assembly session gets over, the government will suppress this incident like the Mahanga double murder case and any other incident,” Mishra alleged.

Supporting the LoP, Congress Legislature Party Leader Narasingha Mishra said that the doctors’ team has already made it clear that Gopal Das, the prime accused in the murder case, is not mentally unstable. He also criticised the government for not “declaring Gopal Das mentally unstable”.

Senior BJD legislator Arun Sahoo, meanwhile, said the Opposition is unnecessarily making it an issue.

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#Opposition #slams #Odisha #govt #Naba #Das #murder #case

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

Opposition parties to continue ‘black’ protest against government

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New Delhi: The opposition parties on Monday decided to continue their ‘black’ protest on Tuesday against the BJP-led government over the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi and “trampling upon democracy in the country” and a final call will be taken in the morning, sources said.

The meeting of like-minded opposition parties was held at the residence of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge who had invited the leaders for a dinner.

Sources said the meeting of like-minded opposition parties decided that the protest of opposition parties will continue and will be held in front of the Gandhi statue in Parliament tomorrow with all of the opposition wearing black clothes.

The final call will be taken at the meeting to be held at Kharge’s chamber in Parliament, they said.

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was among those present at the meeting of opposition leaders.

Leaders from DMK, NCP, JD-U, Bharat Rashtra Samithi, CPI-M, CPI, AAP, MDMK, TMC, RSP, RJD, National Conference, IUML, Samajwadi Party and JMM were among those present. Shiv Sena (UBT) was not present amid its concerns over Rahul Gandhi’s remarks concerning VD Savarkar.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet later that leaders of 18 parties were present and decided to continue with their campaign against the Modi governmennt “that is destroying democracy and that has subverted all institutions”.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal told ANI that every opposition party is together and they will move forward with the same energy.

“Rahul Gandhi is not worried about the house. Whatever the government of India is doing with the country’s democracy is a bigger issue, that is what he told. Every Opposition party is together, we had a cordial discussion and we will move forward with the same energy,” he said.

Opposition members took out a march in the morning wearing black attire or bands in Parliament premises as part of their protest.

Days after his disqualification, Rahul Gandhi was sent notice by the Lok Sabha House Committee to vacate his official bungalow.

Congress leader Harish Rawat said they were not surprised that notice has been given to vacate the bungalow.

“Since Rahul Gandhi questioned the PM regarding the Adani issue, the government is trying to show that they will silence the voice that disagrees with them,” he said.

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said the notice shows “BJP’s hatred towards Rahul Gandhi”.

“For a period of 30 days after the notice is served, one can rightfully continue to stay in the same house. After the 30-day time period, one can continue to stay in the same house by paying rent at market rates. Rahul Gandhi comes under ‘Z’ plus security category,” he said.

Kharge earlier hit out at the Centre over the Adani issue and Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as Lok Sabha MP and said that the opposition leaders are wearing black attire or black bands to show that democracy is being trampled in the country.

Kharge alleged that the Centre used the probe agencies to bend those who did not bow before the government.

Congress and its allies staged protests in some other parts of the country against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as MP from Lok Sabha following his conviction in a criminal defamation case by a Surat court.

Indian Youth Congress workers were detained in Delhi after they protested over the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as an MP.

Rahul Gandhi was on Friday disqualified as a member of the Lok Sabha, a day after a Surat court sentenced him to two years imprisonment in a defamation case filed against him over his ‘Modi surname’ remark.

Opposition parties have been pressing for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Adani issue and the second part of the budget session has seen regular disruptions. (ANI)

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#Opposition #parties #continue #black #protest #government

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

LS adjourned till 4 pm, RS till 2 pm amid protests by Opposition members

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New Delhi: Proceedings in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 4 p.m and 2 p.m respectively amid protests by Congress-led Opposition over disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Parliament.

Speaker Om Birla adjourned the proceedings in less than a minute after the lower house convened for the day.

The moment Birla assumed his seat, Congress MPs, who came to the House wearing black clothes, started throwing papers at his chair.

“I want to run the House with dignity,” the Speaker said and adjourned the proceedings till 4 p.m.

Congress MPs and some opposition members came wearing black clothes in Lok Sabha, to protest against disqualification of Rahul Gandhi’s membership.

Similar scenes were witnessed in Rajya Sabha when Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar adjourned the House till 2 p.m.

Earlier in the day, a meeting was held in the chamber of leader of the opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, to deliberate on a joint strategy in the house.

Apart from the Congress, leaders from DMK, SP, JDU, BRS, CPM, RJD, NCP, CPI, IUML, MDMK, Kerala Congress, TMC, RSP, AAP, J&K National Conference and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray group) attended the meeting.

The Congress MPs have also moved an adjournment notice in Lok Sabha against Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification.

In Rajya Sabha, opposition MPs have moved a notice for suspension of business over Adani issue and misuse of agencies against political leaders.

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#adjourned #protests #Opposition #members

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )