New Delhi: Demands for Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni’s sacking led to multiple disruptions in Parliament for the third straight day today.
Opposition MPs held up placards in both houses, forcing adjournments. In the Lok Sabha, MPs gathered in the centre of the house, holding placards and shouting slogans.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day, soon after it began the day’s business, following a meeting between the government and opposition leaders.
Adjourning the house till Monday, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said parties had decided to find a solution and ‘maintain peace and smooth functioning during House proceedings’.
The opposition parties have been targeting Mishra since the incident took place on 3 October, but their demand picked up steam after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the violence termed it ‘a pre-planned conspiracy.’
On Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi termed the incident ‘a murder’ and said, ‘We should be allowed to speak about the incident. The Minister who killed farmers should resign and be punished,’ he stressed.
Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge also demanded a discussion in the Rajya Sabha. ‘We had given a notice under Rule 267 in Rajya Sabha over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. We wanted a discussion over the incidents that took place there, especially on the SIT clearly saying that the mowing down of farmers was pre-planned, a conspiracy and it was a murder,’ he also said.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi pointed to Opposition members in the well of the House and Rahul, stating, ‘how can it be that Congress MPs are in the well and also want to ask questions from their seats. I ask that they be recalled to their seats.’
Ajay Mishra, a junior Home Minister, is facing strident calls for his removal over the killing of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, allegedly by his son Ashish Mishra, who has been in jail since October.