JOIN USThe resurgent Congress stormed into the Lok Sabha Well on Tuesday, demanding an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "insinuating" that his predecessor Manmohan Singh "colluded" with Pakistan to help his party win elections in Gujarat.
The Congress members, who created a ruckus while putting pressure to have their demands met, staged a walkout in protest during Zero Hour as Speaker Sumitra Mahajan refused to allow them to speak.
The government condemned the Opposition's conduct, calling it "shameful".
"Congress members tried to hold a mock proceeding in the House, storming into the Well. They insulted the Speaker as they started speaking one after another from the Well. We condemn it. May the almighty instil a good conscience in them. That's all I wish for them, so that they do not repeat it in the future," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said.
Pandemonium broke loose in the Lok Sabha soon after the House assembled for the day and the Question Hour began.
The Congress members trooped into the Well raising slogans like pradhan mantri maafi maango (prime minister, apologise).
They also demanded permission to speak on the prime minister's remark about his predecessor during the run-up to the just-concluded Assembly polls in Gujarat, which the speaker denied.
"I cannot allow you to speak here about something that happened during the elections. The elections are over and the results are out. Please go back to your seats," she told the agitating Congress members.
When the Congress members refused to relent despite repeated requests by the speaker, Sumitra adjourned the Question Hour for about half an hour, in order to meet again during Zero Hour at 12 noon.
The Congress members, however, continued with their agitation on the floor of the House by trooping into the Well during the Zero Hour proceedings.
Amid the uproar, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge rose from his seat and began reading a written speech without permission from the Chair, even as his voice was drowned in the din and could not be heard properly.
Congress members, subsequently, staged a walkout in protest.
"Mallikarjun Khargeji is such a senior leader. But even he rose from his seat and began reading his speech. The Congress has been a ruling party for several years. We strongly condemn that they insulted the speaker," Ananth Kumar said later, while making a statement in the House over the uproar.