Congress protests over Modi's remarks, walks out of Lok Sabha

Congress members protested in the Lok Sabha again on Thursday over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's insinuations against his predecessor Manmohan Singh of colluding with Pakistan, and staged a walkout after they were not given permission to speak.

As soon as the House met, Congress members trooped near the Speaker's podium, urging Sumitra Mahajan to allow party leader Mallikarjun Kharge to speak on the issue.

However, Speaker Mahajan went on with the Question Hour, even as Congress members raised slogans standing near her. Congress leader Sonia Gandhi was present in the House and was seen interacting with party members as they protested.

Halfway through Question Hour, Mahajan said she would not allow the issue to be raised in the House.

"I have said I will not allow matters of election campaigning to be raised in the House," the Speaker said.

Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia meanwhile alleged the the voice of opposition was being muffled in the House, and questioned if the Government would decide what issues can be raised in the Lok Sabha.

Other opposition parties had so far kept away from supporting the Congress on this issue. But on Thursday, Communist Party of India-Marxist MP Mohammed Salim and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav also came out in support of Congress.

The Speaker however did not permit the issue to be raised, and proceeded with routine business.

Congress members then staged a walkout in protest, with party leader Kharge saying the walkout was being done to "preserve the dignity of the country".

Modi, during the Gujarat Assembly polls, had claimed that during a dinner meeting at Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's house, Manmohan Singh discussed the Gujarat polls with Pakistan's High Commissioner to India and former Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri.

--IANS

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