Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha adjourned as Congress demands apology from Narendra Modi over allegations against Manmohan

New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha on Monday saw repeated disruptions and was adjourned for the day as Congress members denounced the allegations levelled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi against his predecessor Manmohan Singh.

As the House met for the day, agitated Congress members trooped to the Chairman's podium shouting slogans against Modi and the BJP after their notice to discuss the matter under Rule 267 was rejected.

Under the Rule 267, the House's listed business is suspended to discuss full time the matter for which the notice is given.

Representational image. PTI

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"You cannot reject everything every day. What are we doing here then? The charges levelled against a former Prime Minister who held office for 10 years will have to be proved. They (BJP) are answerable to the people," a miffed Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said.

The Congress had also pressed the matter on Friday but their notices were rejected by Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu.

Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien adjourned the House till 12 noon amid pandemonium. But as soon as the House met again for Question Hour, the Congress MPs again raised the issue and asked Naidu to allow a discussion on the matter.

"Sir, you have to protect the members' honour," Congress leader Anand Sharma told the Chair.

As Naidu insisted on continuing with the Question Hour, the Congress MPs again came near the podium shouting slogans like "Pradhan Mantri maafi mango" (Prime Minister, apologise). Naidu then adjourned the House for the day.

Lok Sabha adjourned as well

The Lok Sabha too was adjourned for the day on Monday after it saw disruptions as Congress members raised the issue of allegations levelled by Modi against his predecessor.

The first adjournment came minutes after the house met, as Congress members stood at their seats, and created a ruckus over the issue. From the treasury benches — BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, who had the first question listed against his name, said the Bharatiya Janata Party was headed for victory in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.

"...People have given a very good reply... Congress has lost Himachal Pradesh, and I want to thank the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) for the unprecedented victory in Gujarat," Somaiya said.

The Speaker then adjourned the house till noon, amid ruckus from both the ruling and opposition benches. As the House met at noon, Congress members once again raised the issue of the Prime Minister's allegations, but were denied permission by the Chair.

"You want to raise the same issue everyday... This is not done," Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said.

Congress members also trooped to near the Speaker's podium, raising slogans seeking an apology from Prime Minister Modi. "We will not tolerate insult of the former Prime Minister," Congress members said.

Amid the ruckus, papers were laid on the table of the House and bills were introduced, after which Speaker Mahanjan adjourned the House for the day.

Modi, during the campaign for the Gujarat Assembly polls, had claimed that at a meeting in Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's house, the guests including Manmohan Singh, discussed the Gujarat polls with Pakistan's High Commissioner to India and former Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri.