For the sixth day in a row, Parliament was again adjourned for the day on Tuesday amid bedlam with the Opposition demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the alleged Adani share manipulation issue and the ruling party members seeking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s apology over his alleged critical remarks abroad against democracy in India.
Queering the pitch of its “Mafi mago” campaign against Rahul on his alleged “insult” to Indian democracy in London, the BJP on Tuesday compared the latter with Mir Jafar and pledged that “come what may” he will have to offer apology to the “people of India”. Jafar was the commander of the Bengal Army under Nawab Siraj ud-Daulah but betrayed him during the battle of Plassey.
The Lok Sabha, however, managed to pass a `1.185-lakh crore Budget for 2023-24 for the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir through the ruckus.
Parliament will meet again on Thursday. Wednesday is a holiday on account of the Hindu new year.
As soon as the proceedings started in the Lower House after the first adjournment in the morning, members of the Opposition benches raised the JPC issue and shouted slogans like “we want JPC”.
Speaker Om Birla made repeated appeals to the protesting MPs to allow the Question Hour to function, giving the assurance that everyone will be given a chance to speak.
Rajya Sabha proceedings also were adjourned for the day amid uproar over the BJP’s demand for Rahul’s apology for his “democracy in danger” remark in London. The Upper House will meet on March 23.
Earlier, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar led the House in greeting the country for various festivals. He then tried to take up the listed business of discussion on the working of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship amid protests from Opposition members. He then gave the floor to Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge.
When Kharge stood up and said that “Rahul Gandhi is not a member of this House and there is no question of him apologising [in this House]...”, ruling party members shouted slogans demanding Gandhi’s apology for his remark in London.
