Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day Monday amid an uproar over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s democracy remarks in the UK, with the government demanding an apology from him.
As the House re-convened at 2 pm, BJP MPs and those from the treasury benches raised slogans seeking an apology from Gandhi over his remarks. The Opposition benches hit back, shouting slogans demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Adani-Hindenburg issue.
Papers and standing committee reports were tabled amid constant sloganeering from both sides and after that several MPs rushed to the Well of the House.
With MPs not heeding to repeated requests by Rajendra Agrawal, who was in the Chair, to let the House function, he adjourned the House for the day.
Earlier in the day, after obituary references in the House, Defence Minister and Deputy Leader of the Lok Sabha Rajnath Singh stood up, and charged that Gandhi has tried to defame India in London through his remarks on Indian democracy.
Slamming Rahul Gandhi for “insulting India in London,” Rajnath demanded in Lok Sabha that the Congress leader should be asked to “apologise
before the House.”
“Rahul Gandhi, who is a member of this House, insulted India in London. I demand that his statements should be condemned by all members of this House and he should be asked to apologise before the House,” Singh said in the lower house of the Parliament. During interaction at the Chatham House in London recently, Gandhi alleged that the microphones of Opposition leaders in Parliament are often silenced. He attacked the BJP-led government at the Centre and levelled several allegations.
Gandhi even said that Europe and the US are not doing enough to restore democracy in India as they are getting trade and money from the country.
The Congress leader also alleged that various
institutions in the country were under threat.
“It shocked me how successful they have been at capturing the different institutions of our country. Press, Judiciary, Parliament, and Election Commission are all under threat and are controlled in one way or the other,” Gandhi said.
He also termed the RSS a “fundamentalist” and “fascist” organisation alleging that it has captured pretty much all of India’s institutions. Union minister Giriraj Singh on Monday urged for a sedition case to be filed against Rahul Gandhi for allegedly insulting the Parliament during his visit to the United Kingdom earlier this month.
“Rahul Gandhi in London said that MPs were not allowed to speak in Parliament. This is an insult to Lok Sabha. The House Speaker should take action against him on this statement, ” Singh said. “A sedition case should be registered against him for insulting our democracy,” the minister said.
The Rajya Sabha on Monday was adjourned shortly after it reconvened after a break amidst protests. Leader of the Upper House Piyush Goyal targetted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his recent remarks in London, following which there were heated arguments between treasury and oppostion benches.
