Noisy scenes in Rajasthan over 'dadi' remark by minister

Jaipur, Feb 21 (PTI) The Rajasthan Assembly saw noisy scenes on Friday over a remark by a minister while answering a question regarding hostels for working women.

During the Question Hour, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Avinash Gehlot pointed to the opposition and said, "In the 2023-24 budget of also, like always, you named the scheme (on working women's hostels) after your 'dadi' (grandmother) Indira Gandhi." Objecting to the remark, Congress MLAs came to the well raising slogans and demanded an apology from the minister.

Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully stood up from his seat and demanded that the the 'inappropriate word' be removed from the record.

The proceedings of the House had to be adjourned thrice due to the uproar over the remark.

Many ministers and MLAs from the ruling BJP hit back at opposition leaders and gave loud counters to their charges.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel said there was nothing unparliamentary about the word 'dadi'.

When Congress MLAs started entering the well, the House was adjourned for half an hour during the Question Hour. Later when the House proceedings resumed, Congress leaders continued sloganeering and the speaker announced the adjournment of the House till 2 pm.

At 2 pm, too, Congress members continued raising slogans at the well and in front of the chair. The proceedings were then adjourned till 4 pm.

Jully took to X terming it a "shameless" and "indecent" comment by a BJP minister on former prime minister Indira Gandhi.

MLA and Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra said on 'X', "Rajasthan will not tolerate the insult of Indira ji. BJP minister Avinash Gehlot who commented on former prime minister Indira Gandhi should apologise." On behalf of the government, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Patel addressed reporters outside the House.

"Today, all our ministers were answering the questions effectively. The opposition got completely agitated. dada, dadi, mama, mami (grandfather, grandmother, uncle, aunty) -- these are not unparliamentary language, these are respectful words.

"Mahatma Gandhi is called 'dada'. If former prime minister Indira Gandhi is called 'dadi', then I personally believe that it is not unparliamentary, it is a respectful word," he added. PTI AG SKY SKY

Source: PTI