Congress and BJP members almost came to blows in the Lok Sabha on Monday as opposition hit out at the Modi government's handling of the Delhi riots as the Budget Session of Parliament resumed after a three-week recess.
It was trouble from the word go as opposition members trooped into the Well of the Lok Sabha as it re-convened after a brief adjournment as a mark of respect to a deceased member, demanding resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah, raising slogans and waving placards criticising the Modi government.
Amid the melee, the Speaker took up a tax bill for consideration and passing and called BJP member Sanjay Jaiswal for initiating the discussion, a move that further agitated the opposition members, who had already walked up to the side of the Treasury Benches and unfurled banners demanding Shah's resignation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were not present in the House.
As the House proceedings continued amid the slogan-shouting, Congress members Hibi Eden, Gaurav Gogoi and some others walked up to Jaiswal, who was speaking from his seat in the third row on the Treasury Benches and held a placard in front of his face.
Angry BJP members including Ramesh Bidhuri, Girish Bapat, Union Ministers Kailash Choudhary and Ashwani Choubey charged towards the Congress members leading to a tense face-off and some push-and-shove among the rivals, prompting senior ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Smriti Irani to rush to cool the tempers.
Speaker adjourned the proceedings till 3:00 p.m., but tempers ran high and slogan-shouting between the opposition and the treasury benches continued. As the House re-convened at 3:00 p.m., BJP women members had moved to the front benches to prevent Congress members from gathering in front of the Treasury benches.
As Congress members trooped into the Well unfurling banners and waving placards, Congress member Ramya Haridas claimed that she was assaulted by a BJP member Jaskaur Meena inside the House. As Congress and BJP continued to level charges at each other, BJP member Rama Devi, who was in the chair, adjourned the proceedings till 4:00 p.m.
Ramya shot off a letter to the Speaker claiming that she was assaulted by Meena. BJP members wrote a separate letter to the Speaker accusing Congress members of jostling Meena and provoking a SC member of the BJP by pushing him.
“Personally, I am hurt at the developments in the House. You are not hurt. I do not want to run House under such circumstances. Everybody should deliberate to ensure that the dignity of the House is upheld,” Speaker said adjourning the House for the day.