Opposition Stages Protest Inside Assembly Following Suspension
Jaipur, February 21 – Tensions escalated in the Rajasthan Assembly on Friday as a political uproar broke out over a minister’s remarks on former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The incident led to prolonged disruptions, forcing Speaker Vasudev Devnani to suspend six Congress MLAs, including state Congress president Govind Singh Dotasara, for the remainder of the budget session.
Following the suspension, the Assembly proceedings were adjourned until Monday, while Congress legislators staged a sit-in protest inside the House, condemning the ruling party’s move.
How the Assembly Proceedings Turned Chaotic
The uproar began during Question Hour when Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Avinash Gehlot made a remark about Indira Gandhi while responding to a question. The comment sparked outrage among Congress legislators, who stormed into the Well of the House, demanding an apology and retraction.
🔹 Speaker Vasudev Devnani was forced to adjourn proceedings multiple times—first for 30 minutes at 11:36 AM, then again until 2 PM, and later till 4 PM, as the opposition refused to relent.
🔹 The disruption continued even after the House reconvened, with Congress MLAs raising slogans and moving towards the Speaker’s podium.
🔹 Chief Whip Jogeshwar Garg then proposed a motion to suspend six Congress MLAs for the remainder of the budget session, which was promptly accepted by the Speaker.
Those suspended include:
✅ Govind Singh Dotasara (Congress State President)
✅ Deputy Leader of Opposition Ramkesh Meena
✅ Ameen Kagzi
✅ Zakir Hussain Gesawat
✅ Hakam Ali Khan
✅ Sanjay Kumar
What Led to the Controversy?
The controversial remark by Minister Avinash Gehlot came during a discussion on government schemes. He stated:
“Just like every year, in the 2023-24 budget, you named this scheme after your grandmother, Indira Gandhi.”
This angered the opposition, with Leader of Opposition Tikaram Julie calling the remark offensive and demanding an immediate apology.
🔹 Julie’s response: “This is nonsense! What do you mean by ‘your grandmother’? Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India. You cannot use such language about her.”
🔹 Congress MLAs stormed into the Well of the House, shouting slogans and demanding a retraction from the minister.
🔹 Speaker Devnani repeatedly urged opposition members to maintain decorum, but they remained adamant, refusing to let the House function.
Government’s Justification for the Suspension
Defending the decision, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel stated:
“Whenever Govind Singh Dotasara enters the House, disruptions follow. Congress is unwilling to accept the Leader of Opposition. Today, things escalated beyond limits—MLAs stormed the Well, nearly reaching the Speaker’s podium. The government had no option but to act.”
He further added:
“The phrase ‘your grandmother’ is not unparliamentary. The Congress created unnecessary chaos, leaving us no choice but to suspend them.”
Congress Hits Back, Accuses BJP of Stifling Opposition
Following the suspension order, Congress MLAs sat down in protest inside the Assembly, condemning the decision.
🔹 Govind Singh Dotasara: “The ruling party doesn’t want to run the Assembly. Their ministers are failing to answer basic questions, and when confronted, they use derogatory language.”
🔹 Leader of Opposition Tikaram Julie: “This is not the first time BJP ministers have disrespected Indira Gandhi. Today, when we opposed their remarks, we were suspended instead. This is undemocratic.”
Congress leaders further claimed that the BJP is using its majority to silence the opposition, while refusing to engage in meaningful legislative discussions.
What’s Next? Assembly Adjourned Amid Political Stand-Off
With the Assembly now adjourned until Monday, the political standoff is expected to intensify in the coming days.
✔ The Congress party has vowed to escalate its protests both inside and outside the Assembly.
✔ The ruling BJP maintains that the suspensions were necessary to maintain order.
✔ All eyes will now be on how Speaker Vasudev Devnani handles the next session.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
