Lok Sabha adjourned till 2 pm amid protests over Lakhimpur violence

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has given an adjournment motion notice seeking adjournment of business of the House and demanding discussion on the Special Investigation Team’s (SIT) report on the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.

‘They are not allowing us to speak, that’s why the House is being disrupted’: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Lakhimpur Kheri incident

LIVE: https://t.co/BmTnhZ1YXw#LokSabha #LakhimpurViolence #Parliamentwintersession pic.twitter.com/bMjDj65Jlj

— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) December 15, 2021

Although Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and DMK’s T R Baalu wanted the Speaker to allow a discussion on the matter when the House assembled on Wednesday, the latter said it can be taken up during Zero Hour. “The House shouldn’t set wrong practices. The Question Hour should run. We can discuss it later,” Birla told them.

After the Speaker’s refusal for a discussion in the Lakhimpur violence, the Opposition MPs trooped to the Well of the House raising slogans and flashing placards that read: “The murderers of the farmers should be suspended; Modi, sack Teni.”

However, the Speaker took up the questions and Railway Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw began replying even as the Opposition members continued the sloganeering.

With the MPs standing in the Well, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the MPs were without face masks and putting the officials seated at the centre of the House at risk.

Firming up the case against Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra, the SIT Monday submitted that the killing of four farmers, who were mowed down by an SUV, and a journalist on October 3 was a planned conspiracy. Following this, a local court in Uttar Pradesh accepted several new charges raised by the SIT , including attempt to murder, against Ashish Mishra and 12 other accused.