Mallikarjun Kharge's Dalit reference at INDIA bloc protest after Jagdeep Dhankhar's allegation: ‘Should I say…?’

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said the people holding constitutional posts, who are responsible for providing protection to the opposition MPs, are themselves becoming a part of politics and doing politics using their caste.

Mallikarjun Kharge was speaking at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi where the opposition INDIA bloc staged a protest against the suspension of 146 MPs from the two Houses of Parliament during the Winter Session and called on people to unite to save democracy in the country.

“You are in a constitutional post; you have to uphold it and not whinge about caste and say I am being targeted for my caste. The treasury benches prevent me from speaking when I get up, so can I say they are preventing me from speaking because I am a Dalit?” Kharge said in a veiled attack on Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.

The Congress chief's remarks came days after Dhankhar said his position as the Vice President of India has been insulted by the opposition members after Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee mimicked him derisively while protesting against the suspension of MPs. Dhankhar also claimed it was an insult to his background as a Jat, his caste, and as someone who comes from a family of farmers.

"Under our Constitution, everyone has the right to speak. When we give notice (in Parliament) we are not even given a chance to read the notice. Should I say that the BJP government is not letting a Dalit speak? You can't take away our right to speak. This freedom was given to us by Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi. You suspend Opposition MPs and pass laws unopposed… We have to fight together," Kharge said during the protest, which was organised under the banner of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).

The protest was also attended by former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and leaders of Left parties, DMK, NCP, SP, NC, TMC, JMM, RJD and other members of the opposition coalition.

Addressing the gathering, Kharge added that the leaders of the INDIA parties have come together as democracy is under threat under the BJP government.

"When all unite, Narendra Modi won't be able to do anything... The more you try to crush us, the more we will rise. We are fighting unitedly to save the country and democracy," Kharge said.

'The more hatred BJP spreads…': Rahul Gandhi

Gandhi said opposition members were suspended from the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha for demanding answers from Union home minister Amit Shah on the December 13 Parliament security breach issue.

"The more hatred the BJP spreads, the more love and brotherhood INDIA parties will spread," Gandhi said.

"By shunting out 150 MPs from the Parliament, the government has shut out the voice of 60 per cent Indians," he said.

NCP leader Sharad Pawar, CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury, CPI's D Raja, JMM's Mahua Maji, DMK's Tiruchi Siva, RJD's Manoj Kumar Jha, TMC's Mausam Noor, NC's Hasnain Masoodi, Revolutionary Socialist Party's N K Premachandran and SP's ST Hasan were among the leaders present at the protest.

Meanwhile, another Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, said the protest, under the banner 'Save Democracy', at Jantar Mantar, is sending a message among people that whatever is happening is 'wrong for the future of the country'.

"In the history of democracy in the world, 146 MPs have never been suspended... People should know that the democracy is in danger. The protest is to tell the people that whatever is happening is wrong for the future of the country... There is only one solution, people should change this government and bring the INDIA Alliance into power," Tharoor told news agency ANI.

(With inputs from agencies)