Uproar in Lok Sabha over ‘order’ to keep schools open on Christmas day

“Now we have a majority… I demand that the temple be constructed within the tenure of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said, as the opposition members protested strongly against Khaire’s remarks.

The Shiv Sena member said that Hashim Ansari, the oldest litigant in the Ayodhya dispute, “also wants the temple to be constructed” and there were “some Muslim women too, who met the Prime Minister and wanted the temple to be constructed.”

As Speaker Sumitra Mahajan kept saying “the matter is before the courts”, Khaire came in for support from members of BJP and Shiv Sena who thumped desks, even as Congress and Left members continued their protests.

Soon thereafter, Congress member K C Venugopal raised the issue of the reported government directive of keeping schools open on Christmas Day to observe ‘Good Governance Day’ to mark the birthday of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on December 25.

Venugopal said schools have been asked to remain open on Christmas Day on the pretext of essay competition.

“Asking schools to remain open on Christmas is hurting the sentiments of the minorities. We are a secular democratic country. Is this good governance? Celebrating Vajpayee’s birthday is good but Vajpayee would not approve this,” he said.

He was supported by party colleagues and Left members who shouted, “We want a clarification from the government.”

AIADMK members were also on their feet demanding explanation from the government, as the House witnessed heated exchanges between members of the opposition and treasury benches.

Congress and Left members then trooped into the Well and in the din, the Speaker adjourned the House for almost an hour.