KC Venugopal recalls Aug 20 Opposition parties meet, urges them to protest against Centre on issues discussed

Congress MP from Rajya Sabha, KC Venugopal on Monday recalled the virtual meeting of 19 political parties that was held in August and urged 'like minded' opposition parties to hold protests against the Centre on issues discussed upon in the meeting.

The Congress party general secretary, in his letter, urged the Opposition parties to hold protests across the country from September 20-30.

"As you are aware, leaders of 19 Opposition parties had met in a virtual meeting on August 20, 2021 and discussed and deliberated upon urgent issues affecting common man's life and the apathetic attitude of the incompetent BJP Government thereof. A joint statement was also issued to highlight these concerns demanding immediate action from the government," read the letter.

"In that meeting, it was decided that all like-minded parties would jointly organize protests/dharnas to reiterate the opposition's demands off the government, as also to exhort the people of India all over the country from September 20-30, 2021, to come out in large numbers to defend our sovereign, secular, socialist and democratic rights with all our might," it read.

The Congress leader further requested to organize protests/dharnas on these issues with like-minded parties in the respective state/UT during the proposed schedule. "It is also requested to ensure that the protest must involve our senior leaders, MPs, MLA's, DCCS/ BCCS, frontal organizations and the people from all sections of society, with due caution related to guidelines for COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and social distancing," read the letter.

Noting that the monsoon session was marked by determined unity of opposition parties, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on August 20 had said that the ultimate goal is defeating the BJP-led government in 2024 Lok Sabha elections and called for systematic planning and working with the single-minded objective for the purpose.

Sonia Gandhi, who chaired a meeting of 19 opposition parties, had called for collectively rising to the challenge of opposition unity, saying there is no alternative to working cohesively and the time has come for rising above compulsions in the national interest.

"The ultimate goal is the 2024 Lok Sabha elections for which we have to begin to plan systematically with the single-minded objective of giving to our country a government that believes in the values of the freedom movement and in the principles and provisions of our Constitution," she had said.

( With inputs from ANI )