NEW DELHI: Both houses of Parliament were adjourned on Wednesday after uproar from Opposition members, who staged protests over alleged remarks insulting Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and other issues.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned until 2 pm as the members shouted slogans against the government for disrespecting Ambedkar. Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal had sparked a controversy claiming that the Congress had, historically, insulted Ambedkar, pointing out incidents from his life such as electoral defeats and refusing to put up his photograph in Congress offices. Meghwal said Congress started honoring Ambedkar only after Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated the construction of Panchteerth memorials.
Meanwhile, some INDIA bloc members, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge were protesting on Parliament grounds and calling for Home Minister Amit Shah to apologize for remarks he made during a speech on Tuesday. Those who frequently mention the name of Ambedkar would have been sent to heaven if they said the same thing about God, Shah had added, drawing criticism.
The session of the Rajya Sabha was briefly interrupted in the house when an Opposition member shouted about disrespect to Ambedkar during a discussion.
The repeated adjournments and disruptions highlighted the growing tensions between the government and the Opposition over Ambedkar’s legacy and the use of his name for political purposes. The issue remains a flashpoint in the ongoing political discourse.
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