Major Opposition parties, barring the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), on Wednesday undertook a protest march from the Parliament House to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office over the raging Adani issue but were stopped at the Vijay Chowk.

The marchers were on their way to the ED office to hand over a complaint to the probe agency when they were stopped midway.

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Carrying placards, MPs from different political parties, led by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, shouted slogans against the Modi Government demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe into the Adani saga.

The MPs belonging to Rashtriya Janata Dal, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Janata Dal (United), Samajwadi Party (SP), Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) participated in the march.

The protest march was carried out on Wednesday afternoon amidst an impasse between BJP and the Opposition that continued on the third consecutive day of the second phase of Budget Session with charges being traded over allegations against the Adani group and Rahul Gandhi’s recent remarks in London.

Coming down heavily at the Centre for imposition of section 144 of CrPc near Vijay Chowk amid the march by Opposition leaders, Kharge said it is another example to show that “Democracy is in danger” in the country.

His remarks came after the police stopped the Opposition MPs at the Vijay Chowk during their marchto the ED office.

Talking to a news agency, Kharge said, “On one hand, they (BJP) talk about believing in democracy, and on the other hand, they stop a peaceful march by publicly elected MPs. Stopping us from submitting the memorandum at the ED office, was wrong. We condemn this”.

“All we wanted to do was to peacefully submit the memorandum and come back, we should have been allowed,” Kharge added.

Attacking the Centre, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said that this was an example that Democracy is in danger in the country

“Even the ED refused to hear from us, stating that they were not notified, when we have already informed them. The government too stopped us before the Vijay Chowk. Anyone who says that Democracy is in danger, is called ‘anti-national, but we all saw an example of democracy being in danger today,” Kharge added.

The Congress national president further alleged that the government is refraining from setting up a JPC.

“The government doesn’t want to discuss the Adani issue and is refraining from setting up a JPC. PM Modi, Adani and all are connected, and they don’t want any scandal to come out. But we won’t stop and will keep on fighting. We will again raise the issue in the Parliament,” he added.

On being asked about the allegations on Rahul Gandhi of “criticising the nation”, Kharge said that “He (Rahul Gandhi) will himself give the answers to those allegations”.

Reiterating the Opposition’s demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Adani issue, Kharge said they want to know how businessman Gautam Adani “made crores of rupees within 2.5 years.”

Kharge said, “All of us are going to meet the Director of ED to submit a memorandum into Adani’s scam. But the Government is not letting us anywhere near Vijay Chowk. They have stopped us. There is a scam of lakhs of Rupees. LIC, SBI and other banks are destroyed”.

The Congress national president said that there should be an inquiry in the Adani issue.

Attacking the Centre further, Kharge said, “The government is giving money to one man to purchase government properties. PM is encouraging someone who had fewer assets earlier but now expanded to Rs 13 Lakhs Crores worth of assets. How did it happen? Who is responsible? Who is giving the money? There should be an inquiry. What is the relation between PM Modi and Adani?”

The Leader of Opposition in the Upper House further alleged that the government wants to “suppress” their voices.

“We all MPs from 17-18 political parties are here and we want to know how Adani made lakhs and crores of rupees within 2.5 years? They have stopped us here. We are 200 and there are 2000 police personnel here, so they want to suppress our voices,” Kharge further said.

Heavy security was deployed at the Vijay Chowk in wake of the protest march by the leaders of the Opposition parties.

The police made announcements at Vijay Chowk and told the marching Opposition MPs not to march ahead as Section 144 CrPC is imposed and no agitation is allowed in the area.

Earlier today, several Opposition MPs, gathered for a meeting over the Adani Group issue at the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s Parliament chamber.

The Opposition has been raising the Adani issue and demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Hindenburg-Adani report.