INDIA bloc meet: Opposition to write to CJI on SIR, seek Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over paper leaks

Leaders of 25 opposition parties met in New Delhi today and decided to send a letter to the Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and the deletion of votes. The opposition, under the banner of INDIA bloc alsodemanded immediate resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET-CBSE exams row.

Addressing a press conference after the INDIA bloc meeting here, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said the leaders also demanded that the Union government convenes an all-party meeting to discuss the "precarious current economic situation" in the country, besides unemployment, price rise, issues of farmers and oppressed sections of society.

He said the leaders of the opposition grouping also decided to meet every two months and the next meeting would be held in Hyderabad in August. He said the date would be fixed at a later date.

"A total of 25 parties participated in the INDIA bloc meeting and all the leaders aired their views. We have expressed our agreement on five issues.

"It was agreed to send a letter to Chief Justice of India (CJI) on SIR, vote loot and stealing of elections. The letter will be delivered to the CJI very soon," the Congress president told the media.

He was flanked by Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee and other senior leaders of the grouping.

"It was unanimously agreed to demand the immediate resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan because he presided over the betrayal of lakhs of youth who appeared in the NEET and CBSE examinations," he said.

The meeting, held at the Constitution Club in the national capital, is also expected to iron out differences amid changed power dynamics following the defeat of regional anchors TMC and DMK in the recent assembly polls.

The meeting comes close on the heels of electoral setbacks for two key regional players—the DMK and the TMC — amid reports of growing differences within the Opposition alliance over a range of issues.

Top leaders of opposition parties, including Congress's Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, TMC's Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav of RJD and Omar Abdullah of National Conference, besides Left leaders and those from smaller parties, attended the meeting.

(With PTI inputs)

Kharge also stated that the Union government should immediately call an all-party meeting to discuss the precarious economic situation, unemployment, price rise and farmers issues, besides other issues including atrocities on the oppressed sections of society.

"The INDIA bloc leaders decided to continue meeting for smooth coordination during the Monsoon session and as usual they would meet in the chamber of leader of opposition," he said.

Kharge said all the leaders aired their views freely, while Shiv Sena-UBT's Uddhav Thackeray and JMM's Hemant Soren joined the opposition meeting virtually.