JAIPUR: High political drama unfolded in the Rajasthan Assembly as the controversy over Cabinet Minister Avinash Gehlot's satirical remarks about former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi escalated sharply.
The minister's provocative comment, referring to Indira Gandhi as the "Dadi of Congressmen," sparked outrage among Congress MLAs, who stormed the well of the house and protested vigorously against the remarks.
The situation intensified when six Congress MLAs protesting the statement were suspended, leading to further disruptions that extended late into the night. In response, the Congress MLAs spent Friday night inside the assembly to express their strong opposition to the unsavoury references to the former Prime Minister and to demand an apology, which the minister refused despite repeated requests from the opposition benches.
The assembly proceedings were severely affected, with multiple disruptions forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House three times. When the proceedings resumed at 4 PM, Congress MLAs continued their protests, once again storming into the well of the House.
Amid the uproar, Chief Whip Jogeshwar Garg moved a motion to suspend the protesting members. Speaker Vasudev Devnani approved the suspension of six Congress MLAs, including State President Govind Singh Dotasara, Deputy Leader of Opposition Ramkesh Meena, Amin Kagzi, Zakir Hussain Gesavat, Hakeem Ali Khan, and Sanjay Kumar, for the remainder of the budget session. Following this, the Assembly was adjourned until Monday.
Defying the suspensions, Congress MLAs staged a sit-in inside the House, demanding justice for their suspended colleagues. Ministers Jogaram Patel and Jawahar Singh Bedham attempted to mediate, but their discussions failed. The protesting MLAs decided to remain in the Assembly overnight, even arranging mattresses, a moment captured in a widely circulated video.
Reports also indicated that negotiations were attempted in the room of Leader of Opposition Tikaram Juli, but those talks collapsed as well. In a video statement, Juli stated, "If we do not approach the Speaker, then whom do we go to? There is no deadlock from our side. Now, it is up to the government to decide what action to take regarding him (Gehlot)." When questioned about the protest, Juli remarked, "Congress remains open to discussions, but the final call now lies with the government."
With tensions still unresolved, all eyes are now on the government's next move in addressing the controversy and the fate of the suspended legislators.
