New Delhi: Opposition parties, including the Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC), Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and Samajwadi Party (SP), came together in a show of unity on Thursday and accused the Modi government of getting the second half of the budget session washed out, while asserting that if this attitude continues, the country will move towards a “dictatorship”.

With a tricolour in hand, several opposition MPs marched from Parliament to Vijay Chowk after which representatives of 19 parties held a press conference at the Constitution Club where Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and other leaders resolved to take the Opposition’s unity further.

Kharge accused the government of not walking the talk on democratic principles and causing disruptions in Parliament to divert attention from the Opposition’s demand for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the Adani issue. “The government’s intention was to get session washed out, I condemn this attitude. If this attitude continues, democracy will be finished and we will slowly move towards dictatorship,” he said.

In a boost to Opposition unity, TMC, BRS, AAP and SP participated in the march and the presser to give a joint call against the government on issues such as the Adani matter, price rise and alleged attack on democracy.

In his remarks at the press conference, Kharge said, “The budget of Rs 50-lakh crore was passed in just 12 minutes, but they (BJP) always alleged that the opposition parties have no interest and they kept disturbing the House. The disturbance was created by the ruling party,” he said. He said the government talks a lot about democracy, but it does not walk the talk.

Asked if Rahul Gandhi was the prime challenger to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, DMK’s T.R. Baalu claimed that BJP is jittery, and after the Bharat Jodo Yatra it is afraid of Rahul Gandhi.

“It was because of the government’s hegemonic attitude they disrupted the House. First time treasury benches disrupted proceedings,” he said, adding that all issues would be discussed going forward and Opposition strengthened.

BRS MP K. Keshava Rao said the parties on the podium had “distance and differences” between them but were now coming together.

The Congress chief also thanked Opposition parties for their support on Gandhi’s disqualification from Lok Sabha. Kharge vowed that there will be unity going forward.