Rahul calls MoS Ajay Mishra 'criminal'; protests rock Parliament

Proceedings of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day on Thursday amid continuous protests by the opposition members over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence and suspension of 12 Opposition members from the Upper House.

Led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, opposition members in the Lok Sabha demanded sacking of Union minister Ajay Mishra from the government in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Gandhi, who had a question on MSME sector listed on Thursday, dubbed Mishra as a 'criminal' and demanded his ouster when Speaker Om Birla called his name during the Question Hour.

It was trouble from the word go, as opposition members trooped into the well raising slogans and waving placards demanding removal of Mishra, whose son has been arrested in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in October.

The Trinamool Congress members, who had earlier stayed away from the opposition grouping, were also in the well of the House raising slogans along with members of the Congress and the Left parties.

"This minister should be removed from the government. He is a 'criminal', action should be taken against him," Gandhi said, adding that Mishra was 'involved' in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

"The minister's involvement in Lakhimpur Kheri killings has come to light. It has been said that there was a conspiracy. We should be allowed to speak about it," the Lok Sabha member from Wayanad said as Opposition members waved placards and raised slogans in the well of the House.

The Speaker asked Gandhi to stick to the question related to the MSME sector that was listed against his name.

"You are a senior member. You ask the question number 262. You will be given adequate time to ask the question you have listed for Question Hour. You claim that you are not allowed to speak in the House. I will give you adequate time if you stick to the question listed by you," the Speaker said.

Parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi said Gandhi was trying to speak at a time when Congress members were in the well of the House.

"How can this be allowed. Ask him to call the members back to their seats," Joshi said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party members were up on their feet too as Gandhi continued to speak on the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

"Your minister here has attacked farmers. He should resign. His involvement is there. There has been a conspiracy. He should be punished for that. He should be removed from the government," Gandhi said.

Congress member Gaurav Gogoi said the minister had misbehaved with journalists on Wednesday.

He was referring to the minister losing his cool at reporters in Lakhimpur Kheri on Wednesday, calling them 'thieves' and lunging at one of them when they questioned him on the October 3 violence for which his son is among the accused.

With the Opposition members unrelenting, the speaker adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.

As the Lok Sabha reassembled at 2 pm, opposition members were in the well again, demanding action against Mishra.

Biju Janata Dal leader Bhratruhari Mahtab, who was in the chair, allowed laying of Parliamentary papers on the table of the House and introduction of the Biological Diversity Bill before adjourning the proceedings for the day.

Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in October.

The special investigation team arrested 13 people including the Union minister's son Ashish Mishra in the first FIR in connection with the death of the four farmers and the journalist.

In the second FIR relating to the death of two BJP workers and a driver during the violence, the SIT had arrested four people.

The Rajya Sabha also failed to transact any business on Thursday as the opposition members forced adjournments in the house over the issue of suspension of 12 MPs.

The House saw an adjournment till 2 pm within minutes of the start of the day's proceedings.

It was later adjourned for the day shortly after 2 pm amid Opposition protests and sloganeering in the well of the house.

Soon after the house met for the day, the opposition members were on their feet demanding revocation of the suspension of their colleagues.

The Congress had also given notices under rule 267 for discussing the SIT report on Lakhimpur violence that left eight people, including four farmers, dead.

Soon after the laying of papers, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu urged the protesting members to return to their seats, but they carried on with their protests relentlessly.

Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge also sought to speak but he chairman did not allow him. Amid continued protests, the chair adjourned the house till 2 pm within minutes of the day.

When the house met after lunch at 2 pm, the opposition members again stormed the well and raised slogans against the government.

The deputy chairman pleaded with them to allow the short duration discussion on the situation arising out of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19, but the Opposition members continued with their protests.

As he asked Syed Zafar Islam of the BJP to carry on with the discussions, the Opposition members raised their voice and stated sloganeering.

Islam had merely started speaking, but the chair adjourned the house for the day amid continued din created by the Opposition members.

Among other reports and papers, the report of the joint committee on the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 was also tabled in the House.

"This report shows the chairman is cooperative, the government is accommodative, the Opposition is responsive," said Congress leader Jairam Ramesh while tabling the report on data protection.

Earlier, the Rajya Sabha paid tributes to the valour of soldiers on the 50th anniversary of Vijay Diwas.

Vijay Diwas commemorates India's victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war. Bangladesh, then part of Pakistan, became an independent country after the war.

The proceedings of the House have been repeatedly disrupted since the start of the winter session following the suspension of the 12 Opposition MPs from the Rajya Sabha on November 29.

The 12 Opposition members have been suspended for the entire winter session of parliament for their 'unruly' conduct in the previous session in August.

The Opposition has described the suspension as 'undemocratic and in violation of all the rules of procedure' of the Upper House.