'Their present, past and future are black': Piyush Goyal's dig at protesting Opposition MPs wearing black dresses

Hitting out at the Opposition MPs for doing politics over Manipur issue, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that the people who are wearing black clothes can’t understand the increasing power of the country and that their present, past and future are black. “Unfortunate that politics is being done even on such a serious matter. This is a matter of India’s honour, a matter of India’s emerging image before the world… I think that the people who are wearing black clothes can’t understand the increasing power of the country….Their present, past and future are black. But we hope there will be light in their life too…,” said Goyal while addressing the House.

#WATCH | Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, Piyush Goyal makes a remark on the black clothes worn by Opposition MPs soon after EAM Dr S Jaishankar's statement on the latest developments in India's Foreign Policy.

He says, "Unfortunate that politics is being done even on such a… pic.twitter.com/tLIiYEChGE

— ANI (@ANI) July 27, 2023

His remarks came shortly after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar made his statement on the latest developments in India’s Foreign Policy. Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the second time till 2 pm on Thursday amid continuous sloganeering by members of both treasury benches and the opposition. Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, who was allowed by the chair to raise questions on the statement made by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the latest developments in India’s foreign policy, could not speak in the House due to the uproar. Soon after the House met at 12 noon, after an initial adjournment, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar allowed Kharge to speak but treasury benches started raising slogans. The opposition members also countered them and raised slogans, which led to a pandemonium in the House. Slogans like “kaale kapde, kaala kaam, nahin sahega Hindustan” were heard in the House when the Leader of Opposition rose to speak. The reference was towards the opposition members who were wearing black clothes as a mark of protest for not allowing them to raise the Manipur issue in the House. After his appeals for order in the House failed, the chairman adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm. The Rajya Sabha proceedings were earlier adjourned briefly as opposition members raised slogans during Jaishankar’s statement and when the Leader of the House spoke on the statement. As the sloganeering continued, Kharge said, “I have not seen a ruling party obstructing an opposition leader. The government itself is obstructing…”. The Chairman said he expected the opposition to raise the issue on the External Affairs minister’s statement after he allowed so by relaxing rule 251. “You did not listen to the Foreign minister, who was listing out the historical achievements of the country,” Dhankhar said, while pleading with the members to maintain order and then adjourned the House. Earlier, Jaishankar made a statement on the latest developments related to India’s foreign policy, during which the opposition members started raising slogans. At one point, the treasury benches started shouting “Modi, Modi”. To counter them, the opposition members shouted “INDIA, INDIA”.

#WATCH | NDA MPs chant "Modi, Modi" in Rajya Sabha as EAM Dr S Jaishankar makes a statement on the latest developments in India's Foreign Policy. To counter this, INDIA alliance MPs chant "INDIA, INDIA." pic.twitter.com/REJgfm50h2

— ANI (@ANI) July 27, 2023

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With inputs from agencies