Logjam continues in Lok Sabha as Oppn and BJP spar over Rahul Gandhi; House adjourned till 2 pm

With no discussion likely amidst the growing tension between the two sides, guillotining of the demands for grants is expected to be taken up at 6 pm. The day’s business also includes the consideration and passage of the Appropriation Bill.

When the Lok Sabha met Thursday, Congress leaders Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Gaurav Gogoi asked Speaker Om Birla that Gandhi should be given an opportunity to make a statement in the House on the “allegations” against him. When Birla asked them to take their seat so that he can take Question Hour after which the leaders can raise their issues, they didn’t oblige. Gandhi was not present in the House.

The BJP MPs then got up to shout “Rahul Gandhi maafi maango”. As Congress, DMK, and Left MPs rushed to the well of the House, the speaker adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.

The tension also mounted with a court in Surat convicting Gandhi in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his “Modi surname” remarks. The case was filed against Gandhi for his alleged “how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?” remarks on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi. Gandhi allegedly made the remark while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP took the opportunity to mount pressure on Gandhi and the Opposition. Outside the Lok Sabha, BJP MP from Surat and Union Minister Darshana Jardosh said Gandhi should stop “saying wrong things and lies” now that the court has found him guilty.

Jardosh alleged that the Opposition was disrupting the proceedings unnecessarily as Gandhi was not there to speak in the House.

Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha was also adjourned until 2 pm.