NDA MPs march against logjam by Congress in parliament

New Delhi: National Democratic Alliance MPs took out a "Save Democracy" march here on Thursday to protest against what they called the Congress induced logjam in parliament.

The march from Vijay Chowk to Gandhi Statue was held on the penultimate day of the monsoon session.

Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader L.K. Advani led the march after the house was adjourned sine die. He also waved a placard at the protest site and was joined by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Home Minister Rajnath Singh reached the spot in their vehicles. Delhi BJP leader Vijay Goel hitched a ride in Rajnath Singh's car.

Several other ministers who had started for Vijay Chowk in their cars, abandoned their vehicles and decided to follow Advani and Jaitley's example.

The entire monsoon session was marred by adjournments due to constant protests by opposition MPs.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Human Resource Minister Smriti Irani, Energy Minister Piyush Goel, BJP spokesperson MJ Akbar and Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan were among those who participated in the protest march.

Earlier, NDA MPs lashed out at the Congress for repeatedly disrupting the house and blocking crucial bills such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Smriti Irani said that people can see that the Congress is unable to come to terms with the loss of one family's fortune after 55 years.

BJP MP Anurag Thakur said the Congress was protesting without facts or figures in parliament.