A significant internal disagreement surfaced within the opposition INDIA alliance on Tuesday, following sharp remarks from Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP John Brittas. He publicly questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's absence from Parliament and criticized fellow opposition figure Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for attending a tea meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Criticism Over Tea Meeting Post-MGNREGA Debate
Speaking to news agency ANI, Brittas expressed strong disapproval of Priyanka Gandhi's participation in a 'chai pe charcha' hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. This event occurred shortly after the conclusion of the Winter Session of Parliament. The CPI(M) leader stated the move 'sent a wrong message' to the public, as it came just hours after the ruling BJP government pushed through changes to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
'This has been a matter of concern for people like us,' Brittas said. 'It was not a good scene for us to see Priyanka Gandhi and others sitting at the tea party along with the Prime Minister.' He emphasized that the opposition had shown better judgment in the past by avoiding such social gatherings during times of political contention.
A History of Protest and a 'Detrimental' Bonhomie
Brittas recalled past parliamentary sessions where the opposition collectively boycotted similar tea parties to protest government actions. He cited the Monsoon Session boycott over the government's reluctance to discuss the SIR issue and a previous boycott during the passage of the Waqf Bill.
He argued that the MGNREGA issue was of greater magnitude. 'Compared to all those issues, this was a humongous issue... Such a spectacle of Priyanka Gandhi having a cup of tea with the Prime Minister just a few hours after the bulldozing of MGNREGA was not only a sad scene, it has sent a wrong message,' he told ANI. Brittas concluded that he does not subscribe to such 'bonhomie' which he believes harms opposition unity and the interests of the country's poor.
Questions on Rahul Gandhi's Overseas Travel During Session
In a separate interaction with IANS, the CPI(M) parliamentarian also raised concerns about Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's absence from Parliament during the crucial Winter Session. 'Why travel abroad when the Parliament session is on?' Brittas asked.
He pointed out that the INDIA bloc had previously decided that Rahul Gandhi should be present in the House when three contentious bills, deemed 'anti-people' by the opposition, were being piloted. 'However, it is for him and his political party to decide,' he added. During the session, Rahul Gandhi was on a five-day visit to Germany, where he met with former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Environment Minister Carsten Schneider to discuss matters of mutual interest.
The public airing of these grievances highlights the ongoing challenges of maintaining discipline and a united front within the diverse INDIA opposition coalition, especially following a parliamentary session marked by heated debates and swift legislative actions by the government.
