Congress leader Sachin Pilot with families of martyred soldiers during inauguration of the Shahid Smarak, in Tonk, Monday, June 10, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
Jaipur: Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Monday said the opposition will not allow the new BJP-led NDA government to function in an "arbitrary" manner, following a fractured mandate in the Lok Sabha polls.
Speaking to reporters in Tonk where he inaugurated a 'Shaheed Smarak', the former Rajasthan deputy chief minister also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi.
Modi's third term, which always appeared inevitable, did not come with the massive mandate he and his party had been claiming, as the Congress and its allies in the I.N.D.I.A. bloc fought a doughty rearguard battle to shock the BJP in its strongholds such as Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
"It is a fractured mandate. It is not a mandate for any single party to form the government. It is an alliance government so it will not be able to work with the kind of attitude that it had in the last 10 years," Pilot told reporters in Tonk.
He said he cannot comment on what will happen in the future but the initial indications show that there will be a change in the NDA government's attitude.
"The Opposition members have won in large numbers. The arbitrary work that used to happen in parliament earlier will not be allowed to happen now."
"The entire opposition is united and the I.N.D.I.A. bloc will keep the government alert inside and outside parliament and will hold it accountable," he said.
Replying to a question on the terrorist attack, Pilot said, "I feel sad that a terrorist attack happened on devotees. There can be no greater sin than this." "The police and administration should take immediate action and if such incidents increase, then it is a matter of concern because Lok Sabha elections have just concluded there and assembly elections are going to be held in three months," he said.
The government will not be able to tackle the situation merely by expressing condolence. It will have to teach a lesson to those who commit such heinous crimes, Pilot asserted.
Terrorists opened fire at the bus carrying pilgrims in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, killing nine and injuring 41.