Congress cries foul after Lok Sabha adjourned for the day

The Congress party on Friday cried foul, alleging that the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day after taking into consideration the views of the ruling party only.

Leader of Congress party in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury alleged that the treasury benches did not respond to their queries, but hurled allegations at his party.

"Union Minister Smriti Irani was hell bent upon extracting an apology from two of our members, who also participated in the debate when treasury benches were hurling allegations against us and try to dilute the concern raised by us," Chowdhury told the reporters here on Friday.

"The Speaker had issued a ruling. What was unprecedented to me was that the chair overruled the ruling made by the Speaker...," he told reporters here.

"Members were prepared for introducing various important bills but all ended in smoke because the House got adjourned by hearing the views of the ruling party members only. Even I was not allowed to express our views," said the Congress leader.

Chowdhury refuted the allegations of humiliating Union Minister Irani.

"When we were assembling to participate in another business, we came to know that treasury benches are preparing themselves to stall the house on the excuse that during the exchange of views inside Parliament Minister Smriti Irani was humiliated as per their version," he said.

"The Speaker was inside the House and all documents are available. It was to dilute the concerns raised by us, as all debates take place in the full glare of media," he added.

"We demanded that the Home Ministry or any Cabinet Minister should respond and address our grievances. But the treasury benches resorted to levelling allegations against us and suppress the voice of the opposition. As a result, the House was adjourned," said Chowdhury.