The stand-off between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress continued for the third consecutive day leading to the adjournment of proceedings of the Rajya Sabha till 2.00 pm over the government’s demand for an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his ‘Democracy in India’ remarks in London and criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Soon after the House assembled for the day and papers were laid on the table, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar started reading, “I have received 11 notices under Rules 267”, the treasury benches started demanding an apology from Rahul Gandhi, leading to a ruckus. Meanwhile, Congress leaders also raised objections and started attacking the government.
Amid accusations from members of both the treasury and Congress members, the Rajya Sabha Chairman adjourned the House till 2.00 pm.
The row over Gandhi’s remarks in London has reverberated in the House since March 13 – day one of the second phase of the Budget Session – leading to adjournment of the House.
The Rajya Sabha faced adjournment for the whole day on Monday and Tuesday amid pandemonium as treasury benches sought an apology from Rahul Gandhi for his remarks in London on democracy in India, while the Opposition objected to the matter and demanded a probe into the Adani Group issue by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).
In a veiled attack on Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal on Tuesday raised the matter, pointing “this is the first time” that a Member of Parliament used words against the democracy of India while his visit outside the country, and sought his apology.
“He (Rahul Gandhi) should apologise…,” Goyal had said.
However, the Opposition members had sought a probe into the Adani Group issue by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Tuesday and accused the Centre of being silent on a report by a US firm that alleged stock manipulation and accounting fraud by the group.
During his address to the British parliamentarians in London recently, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the “functioning microphones of Opposition leaders in Parliament are often silenced.”
He made several other allegations including on PM Modi, an ‘attack on democracy’, and the China issue. In Cambridge, the Congress MP again alleged that the Opposition’s voice was being stifled in Parliament.