Deadlock persists in Rajasthan Assembly; Cong MLAs boycott proceedings

Jaipur: There was no end to the nearly week-long impasse in the Rajasthan Assembly, with Congress MLAs on Thursday boycotting proceedings and holding a mock session outside to protest against a state minister's remarks against former prime minister Indira Gandhi.

The deadlock over state minister Avinash Gehlot's remarks in the assembly last Friday escalated after Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra's alleged undignified remarks against Speaker Vasudev Devnani.

Holding placards, opposition MLAs marched towards assembly premises from their residences and sat outside Assembly premises.

The MLAs shouted slogans and demanded apology from Avinash Gehlot for his remarks.

Congress MLAs also held a mock 'Question Hour' outside the House during which MLA Ghanshyam was made the 'chair' while other members kept asking him questions related to the behaviour of ruling BJP leaders.

With the impasse continuing, former chief minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot told reporters that both sides should cooperate to end the tension.

"This should end so that debate takes place in the Assembly. The treasury and opposition benches should cooperate and there should be no ego...This tension is unnecessary," he said.

Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully said they were open for talks but the government does not want to run the House.

"The minister of the ruling party had made remarks. We slept in the Assembly for three days. Talks were held to end the deadlock. Three Opposition leaders expressed regret. Despite this, minister is not replying," he said.

"I have communicated to the CM and parliamentary affairs minister that our doors are open for talks. Dotasra ji also said that he can visit the Speaker's residence to clear things up. Government is afraid of the performance of its ministers and they are not able to reply. This is why they do not want to run the House," he said.

Speaking to reporters, Minister of State for Home Jawahar Singh Bedham said, "Undignified words were used by the Congress state president in the House and they were published prominently in newspapers. He is raising questions on that." He said the people have elected Congress MLAs but they ran away from the House.

Targeting former CM Ashok Gehlot, Bedham said he is busy posting messages on social media but does not come to the assembly to raise issues.

Bedham contended that the word 'dadi' used by Avniash Gehlot to describe Indira Gandhi is not unparliamentary and noted that former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru was referred to as 'chacha'.

"Dotasra ji should apologise for his remarks against the Chair. He is on a dignified post as party's state chief. He should come to the House. Who is stopping him? He should apologise and let the House run smoothly," he demanded.

On Tuesday, Devnani had said the the words used by the state Congress president against him were "insulting" to the chair.

Dotasra allegedly made the remarks against Devnani during the Congress dharna in the House after the proceedings were adjourned .

During the Question Hour on Friday, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Avinash Gehlot had pointed to the opposition and said, "In the 2023-24 budget, like always, you named the scheme (on working women's hostels) after your 'dadi' (grandmother) Indira Gandhi." The remark triggered an uproar in the House, leading to three adjournments and the suspension of six Congress MLAs.

Demanding an apology from the minister and the revocation of the suspension, Congress MLAs began a sit-in in the assembly.

Rounds of talks between the two sides were held in the chamber of the Speaker but the issue could not be resolved as Devnani and the parliamentary affairs minister were not satisfied with the statement made by Dotasra.