Congress members on Thursday trooped to the well of the Lok Sabha and raised slogans accusing the Narendra Modi government of being “anti-army”.

The MPs were agitated as Speaker Om Birla didn’t heed their plea to raise the issue of pension of disabled soldiers being taxed under a new circular during zero hour.

On the direction of House leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the Congress members rushed to the well and shouted slogans like “Sena virodhi Modi sarkar, haay haay (Down with the anti-army Modi government) and “Sena ke naam par vote maangna bandh karo (Stop asking for votes in the name of the army)”.

The first protest in the new Lok Sabha, however, didn’t last long. Defence minister Rajnath Singh reached the House minutes into the protest and offered to respond. “I will look into the issue. I will get all the details and then return to the House,” he said.

The notable point of the protest, however, was the attitude of the Speaker who continued with zero hour mentions of MPs, mostly new members, when Adhir had sought to more than once draw his attention that he be allowed to raise the issue. This prompted the Congress members to rush to the well.

The Congress members returned to their seats after the government’s assurance that Rajnath would respond.

“I had assured you (Congress members) that after new members finish their zero hour mentions, then I’ll allow you. Despite this you came in the well…. This is not proper,” Birla said.

Adhir said it was unfair that he was not allowed to raise his issue even after members selected through a draw had spoken.

Raising the issue he said the CBDT through a circular on June 24 had said the pension given to disabled army personnel, who take pre-mature retirement, would be taxed.

“This government fought the election in the name of the armed forces and now they are imposing tax on the pension of disabled soldiers,” he said.