Congress MLAs continue 'dharna' in Rajasthan Assembly over suspension of 6 MLAs

Jaipur: The deadlock between the opposition Congress and the government over the comment of minister Avinash Gehlot on former prime minister Indira Gandhi during the Question Hour on Friday continued with the Congress MLAs carrying on their 'dharna' in the Assembly.

The Congress MLAs have been sitting on the 'dharna' since Friday evening after the House was adjourned. They spent nights there, demanding that the comments be expunged from the proceedings and suspension of their six MLAs, including PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra, be revoked.

Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully said on Sunday that the 'dharna' will continue if the demands are not met. He said that the government itself does not want to end the deadlock and the ministers have held talks with the agitating Congress MLAs in the Assembly just for "formalities".

Minister of State Jawahar Singh Bedham and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel met the senior Congress MLAs on Saturday night but the talks remained inconclusive. On Friday night also, the ministers held talks with Jully and other senior MLAs.

During the Question Hour on Friday, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Avinash Gehlot pointed to the opposition and said, "In the 2023-24 budget of also, like always, you named the scheme (on working women's hostels) after your 'dadi' (grandmother) Indira Gandhi." The remark led to a heavy uproar in the House, which led to three adjournments.

Government chief whip Jogeshwar Garg moved a proposal to suspend Congress MLAs Govind Singh Dotasara, Ramkesh Meena, Amin Kagzi, Jakir Hussain, Hakam Ali and Sanjay Kumar, which was passed by a voice vote.

The Congress MLAs started 'dharna' in the House after it was adjourned.

Talking to reporters outside the Assembly on Sunday, Tikaram Jully said that the government does not want the deadlock to break.

"We had said on the first day that we are ready to end the issue and demanded that the remarks made by the minister in a sarcastic tone should be expunged and the suspension of our six MLAs should be revoked but the entire BJP is busy saving the minister by saying that whatever he said was right.

"This is not good in a parliamentary democracy. The fight here is ideological but the ruling party is full of stubbornness and arrogance and is only pretending to make efforts to end the deadlock," he said.

Meanwhile, Bedham said that talks with the Congress MLAs were held last night and they should end the 'dharna'.