Show of stength by Opposition at Delhi rally

New Delhi: Showcasing their might on the last day of the current Parliament, the Opposition parties held a joint rally in the nation’s capital organised by the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party and it was attended by almost all parties.

The Left parties — both CPI(M) and CPI — marked their presence but left the venue before the arrival of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who was the star speaker. Similarly, while there were doubts over whether the Congress Party would attend, senior leader Anand Sharma joined later. Sources said the decision to send Mr Sharma was taken by Mrs Sonia Gandhi after a brief encounter with the Trinamul chief at Parliament’s Central Hall.

Ms Banerjee told the gathering that “democracy has become ‘Namocracy’ and the situation in the country now was worse than the Emergency”. She said the Opposition parties would fight unitedly at the national level to oust the NDA from power.

The Trinamul Congress chief also attacked the Centre over the CBI’s failed bid to question Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar at his home, saying she had not seen a government that “stooped so low”.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging he was trying to tear apart the Constitution and destroy democracy. Mr Kejriwal said the Prime Minister should come clean on the CAG report on the Rafale deal as he was accountable to the nation.

“Modi is trying to tear apart the Constitution. He is destroying democracy,” he said at the mega-rally of the Opposition parties organised at Jantar Mantar.

Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said the days of the NDA government were numbered, and gave a call to the people of the country to defeat the Modi government in the coming elections. “We are going to defeat the NDA. Are you ready?” he asked the crowd.