Congress MLAs continue dharna in Rajasthan Assembly over suspension of 6 MLAs

Jaipur, Feb 23 (PTI) The deadlock between the opposition Congress and the BJP government over the comment of minister Avinash Gehlot on former prime minister Indira Gandhi during Question Hour on Friday continued with the Congress MLAs carrying on their 'dharna' in the Assembly.

During Question Hour on Friday, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Avinash Gehlot pointed towards the opposition and said, "Like always, you named the scheme (on working women's hostels) after your 'dadi' (grandmother) Indira Gandhi in the 2023-24 budget of also." The remark resulted in a heavy uproar in the House, leading to three adjournments.

Government chief whip Jogeshwar Garg moved a proposal to suspend Congress MLAs Govind Singh Dotasara, Ramkesh Meena, Amin Kagzi, Jakir Hussain, Hakam Ali and Sanjay Kumar, which was passed by a voice vote.

The Congress MLAs started dharna in the House after it was adjourned on Friday. They have been sitting on the dharna since then. They spent nights there, demanding that the comments be expunged from the proceedings and suspension of their six MLAs, including PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra, be revoked.

The party will stage a protest and "gherao" the Assembly on Monday.

Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully on Sunday said the dharna would continue if the demands were not met. He said the government does not want to end the deadlock and the ministers have held talks with the agitating Congress MLAs in the Assembly just as a "formality".

Minister of State Jawahar Singh Bedham and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel met the senior Congress MLAs on Saturday night but the talks remained inconclusive. On Friday night also, the ministers held talks with Jully and other senior MLAs.

Congress MLAs held a meeting in the Assembly on Sunday and it was decided that the party leaders and workers will hold a protest outside the Assembly over the issue on Monday.

The Congress has called the party workers from various districts. A control room has been set up by the state Congress and calls are being made to all districts.

Special targets have been set for districts around Jaipur to bring in larger crowds.

On Saturday, the Congress held protests and burned effigies at district headquarters across the state to oppose the suspension of the legislators.

Talking to reporters outside the Assembly on Sunday, Jully said the government does not want the deadlock to break.

"We had said on the first day that we are ready to end the issue and demanded that the remarks made by the minister in a sarcastic tone should be expunged and the suspension of our six MLAs should be revoked but the entire BJP is busy saving the minister by saying that whatever he said was right. This is not good in a parliamentary democracy.

"The fight here is ideological but the ruling party is full of stubbornness and arrogance and is only pretending to make efforts to end the deadlock," he said.

Bedham said talks with the Congress MLAs were held on Saturday night and they should end the dharna. PTI SDA KSS KSS

Source: PTI