Lok Sabha adjourned amid row over slogans against PM Modi at Cong rally
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New Delhi: The Lok Sabha was adjourned shortly after it reconvened on Monday following disruptions by treasury bench members over derogatory remarks allegedly directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a Congress protest rally on the issue of alleged ‘vote chori’.
Raising the matter in the House, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said political parties were opponents, not enemies. Recalling a 2014 incident, he said when a Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament used inappropriate language against an opponent, Prime Minister Modi had immediately asked the member to apologise.
Rijiju alleged that during a Congress rally held on Sunday, slogans were raised about “digging the Prime Minister’s grave”. Calling it a “very sad moment for the country”, he said such language was used in the presence of the entire Congress leadership.
“There cannot be a more unfortunate incident for this country. The Congress party uses such words,” Rijiju said amid loud sloganeering in the House, adding that the Congress should apologise to the nation.
Following the continued uproar, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House till noon.
Congress workers and leaders had assembled at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Sunday for a protest rally against the alleged ‘vote chori’, accusing the Centre and the Election Commission of India of colluding to manipulate elections.
Although the demonstration was aimed at highlighting what the party termed electoral manipulation, it sparked controversy after several participants were heard raising objectionable slogans against the Prime Minister.
During the rally, some workers were heard chanting slogans such as, “Modi teri kabra khudegi, aaj nahi to kal khudegi” and “Vote chor, gaddi chhord”, targeting Prime Minister Modi.
Party workers continued to raise similar slogans throughout the protest while holding placards and banners.
With IANS inputs