LS Speaker warns of action against protesting in well

Amid sloganeering by Congress over various issues in Lok Sabha, Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday warned that he will be forced to take action against members protesting in the Well.

As soon as the House met for the day, the Congress and other Opposition parties, including the DMK and the TMC, wanted to raise certain issues.

With the Speaker taking up the Question Hour, more than 20 members from the Congress trooped into the Well and began shouting slogans against the central government.

Birla repeatedly requested the protesting members to go back to their seats as the questions were about farmers' issues.

As the protests continued, a visibly peeved Birla warned that action would be taken against members.

"There might have been precedents of protesting in the Well. From today onwards, no (member) will protest in the Well. If not, I will be forced to take action," he said.

Amid the din, various questions and supplementary related to farmers' issues were taken up.

At one point in time, the Speaker also said that he would give a chance for protesting members to ask supplementary if they go back to their respective seats.

However, the members continued with their protests. Congress members sought to raise various issues, including the withdrawal of SPG security cover of party president Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi and her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Apart from the Congress, members from the National Conference were also in the well.