JOIN USUPA allies led by the Congress on Tuesday staged walkouts twice in the Lok Sabha after Speaker Sumitra Mahajan denied them opportunity to oppose BJP’s bid to form governments in Goa and Manipur.
Mahajan told the House the role of state governors, who are constitutional authorities, cannot be discussed in Parliament, and rejected Congress leader in the House Mallikarjun Kharge’s adjournment motion.
Kharge, along with Congress, NCP and RJD MPs, staged a walkout alleging “democracy was being murdered” as the largest party was not being given a chance to prove majority and form government in Goa and Manipur.
The Opposition MPs left the Lower House after it resumed after Holi break when the Speaker ruled out allowing them to disrupt Question Hour.
Returning at noon, the Opposition MPs again tried to raise the issue. Speaker Mahajan ordered “nothing would go on record” since role of governors cannot be discussed in Parliament. Leaving the House, Congress MPs shouted “dictatorship won’t work”.
In a Facebook post, Union Minister for Finance and Defence Arun Jaitley recalled similar interpretation of fractured mandates in two states under UPA regime.