Congress leader Sonia Gandhi led opposition parties in a protest against the political situation in Maharashtra today, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was inside addressing MPs on the occasion of Constitution Day. The protesting opposition leaders, carrying posters that said “Stop Murder of Democracy” and “Constitution in Crisis”, gathered around Mrs Gandhi and a statue of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar as she read out the Preamble to the Constitution.

Mrs Gandhi was accompanied by several senior Congress leaders including her son and former President Rahul Gandhi. In a message on his official Twitter account Rahul Gandhi, who told parliament on Monday “there is no point in my asking the question (on Maharashtra) as democracy has been murdered”, said he was committed to saving the Constitution.

Congress President Smt Sonia Gandhi leading the opposition protest against the murder of democracy by reading out the Preamble of the Constitution of India at the parliament marking Constitution Day