Congress workers have been protesting against Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Avinash Gehlot’s remark in the assembly referring to Indira Gandhi as ‘Apki Dadi’ while addressing Congress MLAs.
The Congress workers on Monday staged a massive protest outside the Rajasthan Assembly after the BJP minister’s statement regarding Indira Gandhi led to the suspension of six-party MLAs. The police have erected barricades and ramped up security. The Congress workers have been trying to encircle the assembly leading to clashes with the police.
The agitation flared up after Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Avinash Gehlot on Friday remarked ‘Apki Dadi’ while pointing towards the opposition bench in the assembly. The minister, while answering a question regarding hostels for working women, said, “In the 2023-24 budget, also, like always, you named the scheme (on working women’s hostels) after your ‘dadi’ (grandmother) Indira Gandhi.”
The Congress MLAs objected to the remark and stormed to the Well and demanded an apology from the minister. After three adjournments, the House reassembled at 4 pm Government Chief Whip Jogeshwar Garg moved a proposal to suspend Congress MLAs. He said that they “crossed all limits” and their conduct was “inappropriate” towards the Speaker, which cannot be forgiven. The proposal was passed by a voice vote, following which Speaker Vasudev Devnani adjourned the House until 11 am on February 24.
Following this, the suspended MLAs, including Govind Singh Dotasra, Rajasthan Congress President, Deputy Leader of Opposition, Ramkesh Meena and others, spent the night in the Well of the House.