Not Adani, now Sambhal violence rocks House
NEW DELHI: As both Houses of Parliament resumed on Tuesday after a week of disruptions, the issue of the US indictment of the Adani Group took a back seat while the violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambal dominated the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha.
The impasse was resolved on Monday after the government and the Opposition reached a consensus on the two-day discussion on the Constitution.
Under pressure from the INDIA bloc allies on its sole focus on the Adani issue, the Congress chose to stage a protest in front of the gates of Parliament House, which was joined by several opposition MPs.
While parties AAP, RJD, Shiv Sena (UBT), DMK and Left parties joined the protest demanding an investigation into the Adani matter through a joint parliamentary committee, key partners Samajwadi Party and TMC were missing. The leaders who attended the protests included LoP Rahul Gandhi, AAP’s Sanjay Singh, RJD’s Misa Bharti and Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Arvind Sawant.
As soon as the House assembled to take up the Question Hour, SP president Akhilesh Yadav stood up and raised the Sambal issue, seeking Speaker Om Birla’s permission to speak on the subject.
“This is a grave matter. Five people have lost their lives,” he said.
The speaker said members could raise the issue in the Zero Hour, prompting Yadav and his party colleagues to walk out in protest. Some SP members, however, rushed to the well, raising slogans.
NCP and Shiv Sena-UBT members stood up in support of the SP MPs. Some of the Congress members were also on their feet, and Rahul Gandhi came to the aisle. While the protest was on, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju approached Yadav to discuss the issue. The MPs, including Gandhi, staged a brief walk out. Later, Yadav got the opportunity to raise the issue.
The MP from Kannauj alleged the Sambhal administration acted in haste and demanded the suspension of the officers concerned and the filing of a case against them. He also claimed that the court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid could hurt the ‘Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb’ of the country.
On November 19, a court of civil judge (senior division) of Sambhal passed an ex-parte order for a survey of the mosque by an advocate commissioner on a plea of the Hindu side, which claimed it was built by Mughal emperor Babur in 1526 after demolishing a temple.
On November 24, violence broke out in Sambhal, leaving four dead and several injured.
SP, TMC stay away from Oppn protest over Adani
Under pressure from the INDIA bloc allies on its sole focus on the Adani issue, the Congress chose to stage a protest in front of the gates of Parliament House, which was joined by several opposition MPs. While parties AAP, RJD,
Shiv Sena (UBT), DMK and Left parties joined the protest demanding an investigation into the Adani matter through a joint parliamentary committee, key partners such as Samajwadi Party and Trinamool Congress were missing.