Sonia leads Opposition protest in Lok Sabha against fuel hike

It was Congress president Sonia Gandhi who was not only marshalling the members of her own party in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, but was also seen instructing the MPs of other Opposition parties to refrain from participating in the Question Hour to register their protest against the rising petroleum prices.

Gandhi was unusually more proactive and practically led the Opposition protest against the rise in the prices of petrol, diesel and LPG cylinders during the Question Hour.

As a result, the Congress MPs were louder compared to the members of other Opposition parties while protesting in the well of the House.

When National Conference MP Hasnain Masoodi stood up from his seat to ask a supplementary question to the question listed against his name, Gandhi was seen instructing him to sit down and he did so.

A similar scene was witnessed when the name of ET Mohammed Basheer, a leader of Congress ally Indian Union Muslim League, was announced by the speaker to ask his question and Gandhi ensured that he raised the issue of petroleum prices, instead of asking the question.

She was also seen giving instructions to the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and other party MPs who were protesting in the well.

The Congress president continued to sit in the House even after the Question Hour.

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Restart mid-day meals in schools: Sonia

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday made a strong demand for restarting mid-day meals in schools as they open after the long closure due to the Covid pandemic.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Gandhi said better nutrition should be provided to children as they start returning to schools.

Gandhi noted that the mid-day meal scheme was stopped when schools were shut down due to the Covid pandemic.

She said that children were given dry rations during the pandemic and food grains were also provided under the National Food Security Act.

"But for children, dry ration is no substitute for hot cooked meals," Gandhi said.

She said children have been the worst affected due to the pandemic as schools were the first to be shut down and the last to be open.