Our priority is opposition unity, will participate in protest: Sanjay Raut

New Delhi: Shiv Sena Uddhav faction leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday said that his party gives topmost priority to the opposition-unity in Maharashtra as well as at the national level and will participate in the protest at the Parliament.

The remarks come at a time when the Thackeray faction was miffed with Rahul Gandhi's remarks over Savarkar and had skipped the opposition meeting.

"We have spoken about our concerns two days ago. We did not go to Kharge's residence. But there is and will be opposition-unity in Maharashtra as well as the country. We have got the result of the concerns we have expressed. We will definitely attend the opposition meeting today and will participate in the protest as well. We give the topmost priority to the opposition-unity. We will be with all the opposition parties at the national level," Raut said while speaking to the media.

Hitting out the government over the Adani Group issue and corruption, Raut asked if the central probe agencies will only be used against the opposition and not Adani.

"Why don't you (government) talk about the issues raised by Rahul Gandhi and the JPC demand by the opposition on the Adani issue? What is your relation with Adani? Are the ED and CBI only for us (opposition), not for Adani? Will you do the audit of the PMCARES fund?" he said.

The Rajya Sabha MP also backed Rahul Gandhi over his disqualification from Lok Sabha and said that his party will take part in the opposition protest in the Parliament.

"The government is not ready to respond to the opposition's questions over the scam. Can't we ask questions? The one who asks questions, his membership is disqualified and his house is evicted. We will take part in the opposition's protest against Rahul Gandhi's disqualification," he said.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday launched an attack on Rahul Gandhi stating that he was disqualified as MP from Lok Sabha because of his "arrogance" while also alleging that the Congress leader considers it his "birthright" to rule the country since he is born in a certain family.

Speaking to ANI, Vaishnaw said, "Rahul Gandhi has been disqualified because of his arrogance. He thinks it is his birthright to rule this country and that is causing all this cognitive dissonance in his mind."

Earlier today, addressing a press conference here, the Union Minister alleged that Rahul Gandhi does the politics of entitlement and asked if he is above the law.

"When the court gave the decision over the insult of the OBC community, Rahul Gandhi today says that the court is wrong. Rahul Gandhi thinks that ruling this country is his birthright. He does the politics of entitlement. He thinks that it becomes his birthright to rule the country since he is born into a certain family. He considers himself above the Constitution, court and Parliament," Vaishnaw said.

"He considers himself above the country's institutions. Rahul Gandhi thinks no court can give a judgement against him... He thinks that the provision in the Constitution for disqualification should not be applied to him because he is in politics with a feeling of entitlement," he added.