During the special session of Parliament, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, delivered a speech in the Lower House expressing concerns that the country might be perceived as being governed under a "one-party dictatorship."
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury took the floor following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's opening remarks on the first day of the five-day special session. Notably, Sonia Gandhi, who sat beside him, actively provided assistance and guidance as he delivered his speech, especially in response to frequent objections raised by members of the ruling party.
Sonia Gandhi's verbal interjections during the Leader of Opposition's Lok Sabha speech included phrases like "Carry on... carry on... carry on," "no, no, that's true, bolne do (let him speak)," and "very good" at the end of Chowdhury's address.
During his 22-minute speech, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury covered various topics, such as the lack of inclusivity in Parliament, the need for equal opportunities for all MPs, and the importance of plurality. He also listed some achievements of previous UPA governments.
Throughout Chowdhury's speech, Sonia Gandhi was actively seen thumping the bench and urging those objecting to his speech to remain quiet. At times, she even prompted the senior Congress leader on what to say next.
When prompted by Sonia Gandhi to discuss Information and Technology (IT), Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury highlighted, "The information technology revolution was initiated during the tenure of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who also played a key role in introducing the Panchayati Raj Act, which established grassroots democracy."
Regarding inclusivity, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury concluded his speech by quoting a popular dialogue from a classic Bollywood film, "Jindagi lambi nahi, badi honi chahiye (life should be big instead of long)."
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