'Country cannot forget martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh's sons'

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan Thursday said the country cannot forget the martyrdom of the four sons of the Sikh Guru Gobind Singh and the House expresses its condolences.

While B S Mann (AAP) asked the House to pay tributes to the martyrs, P S Chandumajra (SAD) urged members to stand for 2 minutes and pay tributes to the Guru's sons.

Ranjeet Ranjan (INC) demanded that condolence meetings should be held across the country to mark the martyrdom.

Union Minister and senior BJP leader S Ahluwalia said the martyrdom should be respected.

However, Congress and AIADMK members continued their sloganeering over various issues.

Mahajan said members were speaking on a serious issue and the protesting parties should observe silence and listen to them as the matter was not only related to the Sikh religion.

"Children were martyred...This is a serious issue. Please listen. I am talking about children who were martyred. The country joins in paying tributes," she said.

"The country cannot forget the martyrdom and the House expresses its condolences," she added.

The four sons of the tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh were martyred. The martyrdom of the 'char sahibzadas' is remembered in the last week of December every year.

During the Zero Hour, Vincent Pala (INC) raised the issue of miners trapped in Meghalaya.

He urged the central government to give all support to the rescue process.

Over a dozen miners are trapped inside an illegal coal pit in Meghalaya since December 13 without food and water.

Shashi Tharoor (INC) sought a special rehabilitation package for fishermen hit hard by Cyclone Ockhi.

The Speaker also accepted resignation of five members including H C Meena from Rajasthan's Dausa.