Uproar in LS as Congress seeks debate over rising communal violence

New Delhi: Congress on Wednesday gave notice of an adjournment motion in Lok Sabha over rising incidents of communal violence in the country.

According to reports, the notice was given by Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, party MP MI Shahnawaz and party whip KC Venugopal.

They said the party will demand suspension of the Question Hour for taking up the adjournment motion.

The Opposition members led by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi today created uproar in the Lok Sabha shortly after the Lower House met for normal business.

Congress MPs accompanying Rahul Gandhi thronged to the well of the House demanding a debate on the communal riots in Uttar Pradesh and the ongoing UPSC row.

Congress MPs were seen pressing the Lok Sabha Speaker to suspend the Question Hour, so that a debate on rising communal tension in various parts of the country could be initiated.

“We are not being allowed to speak in the Parliament, we wanted a discussion,” Rahul Gandhi said.

The Congress vice president also accused the Lok Sabha Speaker of favouring the ruling party, saying “Speaker is not allowing us to speak, only one voice is being heard.”With the pandemonium continuing, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House till noon.

The demand from the Congress comes in the wake of heightened tension after a woman was allegedly gang-raped and forcibly converted in Meerut recently.

Last year’s communal riots in Muzaffarnagar and neighbouring areas of Shamli and Meerut had left 63 people dead between September 6 and 10. More than 43,000 people were rendered homeless and many of them were forced to take shelters in refugees camps set up by the Uttar Pradesh government.

An all-out war has been going between the Samajwadi Party, which is presently ruling the state, and the BJP, which is in power at the Centre.

Congress has accused both BJP and the SP of indulging in caste politics and dividing the society on communal lines.

The Congress party has also accused the Narendra Modi-led BJP government of not taking appropriate corrective measures to prevent communal disturbances in the country.