Both Houses adjourned till 2 p.m. amid protests by Opposition over Shah’s remark on Ambedkar

Members in the Rajya Sabha during the Winter session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Both Houses were adjourned within minutes after they assembled on Thursday (December 19, 2024) as Opposition members insisted on a discussion on Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on B.R. Ambedkar.

In Lok Sabha, as soon as the House met, Opposition members were on their feet raising their voices and staging protests. Speaker Om Birla tried to pacify them and announced the demise of former union minister E.V.K.S. Elangovan, who was a Member of the Lok Sabha from Tamil Nadu.

After he paid tributes to the departed leader, the House observed silence for sometime.

As soon as the obituary reference was over, the Opposition members again staged noisy protests. Mr. Birla immediately adjourned the House till 2 p.m.

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Meanwhile, in the Rajya Sabha, after tabling of listed papers, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said he had received four adjournment notices, including three for discussion on the remarks made by Mr. Shah.

As the Chair did not approve the notices under Rule 267, several Opposition members protested. The notices were given by AAP MP Sanjay Singh, Congress MP Randeep Surjewala and CPI(M) MP John Brittas One of the Congress MPs was heard saying that Ambedkar was never insulted “like this”.

Several Opposition members were on their feet and raised slogans “We cannot allow the country to be plunged in anarchy,” Mr. Dhankhar said before adjourning the proceedings till 2 p.m.

Congress and other Opposition parties have launched an all-out attack on Mr. Shah for his remarks on Ambedkar in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday (December 17, 2024) and demanded his sacking, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top BJP leaders rallied to Mr. Shah’s defence and said he has exposed Congress’ “anti-Ambedkar” stand.

Mr. Shah said the Congress had distorted his comments under a malicious campaign after the discussion on the Constitution “established” that the opposition party was against Ambedkar and reservation.