JOIN US The Opposition on Monday created a ruckus in the Lok Sabha over the government’s actions following the death of former Union minister E Ahamed, prompting Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to adjourn the House for 50 minutes.
The Congress and members of the Left parties rushed to the Well with placards in their hands and began shouting slogans after the Speaker refused to allow them to raise the issue during the Question Hour.
“I am sorry to see this. Such things should not happen here. We paid tribute to Ahamed here and also adjourned the House for one day. I request you, please do not resort to this (creating din in the House) with posters in your hands,” a visibly upset Sumitra told the agitating Opposition members, who were holding placards that read ‘Parliamentarians for dignified life and death’.
The protesting leaders, however, refused to relent. “It is against democratic norms,” one of the Opposition members was heard shouting amid the din.
With the agitating members showing no signs of relenting, the Speaker adjourned the Question Hour to meet again at noon.
When the House reassembled, the Congress and members of the Left parties raised the issue again and staged a walkout.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi joined a protest by MPs from Kerala near the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex.
‘We are Ahamed Sahib’ read the placard held by Rahul as he stood with the MPs, who had their mouths covered with a black cloth.
The Opposition has been demanding a probe into the manner in which the death of Ahamed was “handled” by the government, saying he died soon after reaching the hospital, but the news of his death was announced much later.