Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha Adjourned For 2nd Day Straight Over Ruckus On Rahul Gandhi's Comments

Both the houses of the Parliament were adjourned on Tuesday for the second day straight over ruckus on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's comments abroad. 

During his visit to the United Kingdom (UK) this month, Rahul criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the BJP's ideological parent Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and the state of Indian democracy under Modi. 

The BJP has latched on the comments and has alleged that Rahul insulted India abroad and has said he should apologise for it. Beginning on Monday when the Budget Session of the Parliament resumed after a month-long recess, the BJP raised the issue in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha where the Congress countered it.

On Tuesday, BJP members began raising slogans in Lok Sabha as soon as the proceedings began. They sought an apology from Rahul. They were countered by the Congress-led Opposition MPs who waved placards with quotes from speeches of Modi during his visits abroad.

Similarly in Rajya Sabha, the BJP demanded an apology from Rahul and the house was adjourned following the ruckus. 

War of words in Lok Sabha

Soon after the house assembled, BJP members raised slogans seeking an apology from Rahul, while the Congress-led opposition waved placards with quotes from speeches of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visits abroad.

"Rahul Gandhi maafi mango (Rahul Gandhi apologise)," BJP members shouted repeatedly from their seats. Some ministers, too, were on their feet.

Opposition members raised slogans from the aisles and avoided trooping into the well of the house.

"BRICS ka 'I' ludak raha hai (The 'I' in BRICS is tottering),” read one placard referring to the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa grouping.

"Pata nahi pehle janam main kya paap kiya tha, Hindustan main paida hua (Don't know what sin I had committed that I was born in India)," read another placard waved by a Congress member quoting the prime minister's speech in Seoul in May 2015.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla tried to take up the Question Hour and appealed to the members to uphold the dignity of the house.

Asking the Congress members, who were on their feet, to maintain decorum of the house and not show placards, Birla said they should let the Lok Sabha function.

"I will give the opportunity to raise issues after Question Hour. Question Hour is an important part of parliamentary proceedings. I will give you adequate opportunities, but after Question Hour. I urge you to return to your seats. I will allow every topic to be raised as per the rules," Birla said.

However, Congress members continued their protest following which the speaker adjourned the house till 2 pm. After resumption of the house, papers and standing committee reports were presented in the amid the ruckus.

The house was adjourned for the day within 10 minutes.

Floor leaders' meeting in Rajya Sabha

Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said a meeting of floor leaders has been called to discuss the issue. 

He said, "We have examined the situation. The constitutional provisions, the rules we have framed, the directives that have been imparted by earlier chairmen...We are meeting the floor leaders today at 2.30 pm and I am sure you will get my ruling at the earliest, maybe during the course of the day or tomorrow (Wednesday)."

Dhankhar said the directives imparted in the Lok Sabha have also been looked at. 

What did Rahul Gandhi say?

During his weeklong visit of the UK, Rahul interacted with the Indian diaspora, addressed an event at Cambridge University, and participated in an event hosted by think tank Chatham House.

In his speeches and interactions, Rahul repeatedly criticised Modi government, the BJP-RSS to which Modi belongs to, and the state of Indian democracy under the Modi government. 

In UK, Rahul had alleged that the structures of Indian democracy were under "brutal attack" and there was a full-scale assault on the country's institutions. He also called RSS a "fascist" secret society and compared it to the Islamist organisation Muslim Brotherhood, which is a designated terrorist organisation in some countries.

(With PTI inputs)