Opposition parties unite on paper leaks, Congress drops initial resistance

In a meeting of Opposition parties on Monday, the Congress party initially stood isolated on the issue of paper leaks before eventually agreeing to join other parties in raising the matter in Parliament. The meeting, held in the chamber of Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, saw all parties except the Congress pushing to highlight the issue of examination paper leaks and a planned march by protesters from Jantar Mantar to Parliament.

The Congress had wanted to focus solely on the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. However, other parties insisted that the Opposition also take up the paper leaks issue and the march by protesters. After discussions, the Congress conceded, and the parties agreed to continue disrupting proceedings in both Houses on Tuesday over these issues.

The united stance marks a strategic shift for the Opposition, which has been seeking to corner the government on multiple fronts. The paper leaks issue has sparked widespread student protests, and the Jantar Mantar march represents a significant show of dissent. By including these topics, the Opposition aims to broaden its attack on the government's handling of examination integrity and law and order.