New Delhi: Opposition parties on Wednesday stepped up their offensive against the central government, with several leaders arriving at the Parliament dressed in black to protest the alleged manhandling of students and lawmakers by security forces. MPs from the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the TMC were seen in the protests.

The "Black Day" demonstration serves as a unified front against the government's handling of recent student agitations and the prevailing unrest over the national education system.

Speaking on the protest, Congress MP K Suresh stated that the decision to wear black attire was a direct response to the "brutal" police action taken against the Leader of Opposition (LoP) and other Members of Parliament during Tuesday's demonstrations. He emphasised that the protest at Makar Dwar was a mark of dissent against the high-handedness of the security forces.
"Today, we all are dressed in this (black clothes) as we are having a demonstration in front of Makar Dwar today over what police brutally did to the LoP yesterday and other MPs," he said.

Joining the attack, RJD MP Sanjay Yadav criticised the government over the recurring issue of paper leaks and the 50-year high in unemployment. He accused the administration of using oppressive tactics against the youth who are on the streets demanding transparency. Yadav further claimed that while the government boasts about providing rations, its "bad policies" have left crores of students unemployed and their futures uncertain.
Speaking to ANI, Yadav said, "...There have been more than 150 leaks across the country under this Govt. No exam has been conducted in a transparent manner. The unemployment is highest in 50 years. Why does the Govt appreciate itself instead of talking about unemployment and paper leak? That they give 5 kg ration to 85 crore Indians to stay alive. On the other hand, crores of students and youth are unemployed due to your bad policies and discussions. They are on streets today. But you oppress them. You do not accept your mistakes..."

Earlier on Tuesday, Congress workers and local leaders staged protests across several states on against the detention of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other party leaders in Delhi, while also condemning the police action against CJP activists during their protest on Monday.

Demonstrations were held in Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati, Jabalpur and Bhubaneswar, where Congress workers raised slogans against the Centre and accused the government of suppressing democratic protests.
Earlier on Tuesday, Congress leaders marched from Rajaji Marg towards Lok Kalyan Marg, demanding accountability over the alleged examination paper leak, action over the police crackdown on student protesters, and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Meanwhile, Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, along with several other leaders, were detained by Delhi Police over the party's protest at Lok Kalyan Marg and were later released from detention.

Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and several opposition leaders left from Chhatrasal Stadium, where they were brought under detention by the police.

As police detained the protesters, Priyanka Gandhi criticised the government's actions.
"They are cowards. They are scared. We are not scared of them. They are scared of us," she told ANI while being taken into police custody.
Police personnel were seen carrying Rahul Gandhi towards a police bus as security forces dispersed demonstrators gathered near Lok Kalyan Marg. Several Congress MPs and party workers were also detained during the protest.

Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi reached the Mandir Marg Police Station, where Priyanka Gandhi was detained.
Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, KC Venugopal and Pawan Khera protested at Lok Kalyan Marg. Keralam Chief Minister VD Satheesan and Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar also joined the protest.

The whole fiasco came after the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)'s 'Sansad Chalo' protest on Monday, which was met with police action in Central Delhi

This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.