The Opposition on Wednesday stalled the Lok Sabha demanding the sack for junior home minister Ajay Mishra Teni, citing a special investigation team’s conclusion that the Lakhimpur Kheri massacre had been “pre-planned”.
Led by the Congress, the Opposition, which had allowed normal functioning in the Lok Sabha for the past two weeks, stormed the Well chanting slogans and waving placards that said “Modiji, sack Teni”.
Teni’s son Ashish Mishra and 12 others have been arrested after a Thar jeep belonging to the minister led a convoy in mowing down four farmers and a journalist near Teni’s home in Lakhimpur Kheri district on October 3. On Tuesday, a court accepted an SIT application that described the killings as “pre-planned”.
The Opposition tried to raise the issue as soon as the House assembled at 11am. Speaker Om Birla rejected the request, saying Question Hour shouldn’t be disturbed.
Members of the Congress, DMK, Left and some other parties rushed to the Well chanting “We want justice”, prompting the Speaker to adjourn the House till 2pm.
But the protests continued at 2pm, too, and the House was adjourned for the day.
Rahul Gandhi and some others had submitted adjournment notices seeking suspension of the Lok Sabha’s scheduled business for the day to discuss the Lakhimpur Kheri massacre in the light of the SIT’s findings. But the Speaker rejected the notices.
Rahul said in his adjournment notice: “The UP police SIT report has highlighted that the massacre of farmers at Lakhimpur was a pre-planned conspiracy and not a negligent act. The SIT has recommended the modification of the charges against all the accused.
“The government should immediately sack the MoS Home Affairs, Ajay Kumar Mishra, and ensure justice to the families of the victims.”
Rahul’s notice stressed that the issue was a “definite matter of urgent importance” and the House should discuss it suspending other business.
Members are allowed to move adjournment notices on matters of urgent importance but these are rarely admitted by the Speaker.
Asked by reporters outside Parliament whether the Lakhimpur Kheri case had been discussed in the House, Rahul said the government had not allowed it.
“We are trying. They (the government) are not allowing us to say, that’s why the House is being disrupted,” he said.
Rahul alleged that Teni was “involved” in the massacre of farmers and should therefore be sacked and a discussion on the matter held in the House.
Trinamul, which has been keeping its distance from the Congress, did not join the protests in the Lok Sabha. In the Rajya Sabha, Trinamul member Sushmita Dev had submitted an adjournment notice to discuss the Lakhimpur Kheri killings, but it was denied by the Chair.
Later, after the day’s proceedings had been adjourned, the government told reporters that the Lakhimpur Kheri case could not be discussed in Parliament because the matter was sub judice. It appeared to rule out Teni’s removal on the same ground.
Piyush Goyal, Union minister and leader of the Rajya Sabha, later told reporters: “Such comments (by the Opposition) are baseless. Investigation is going on as per Supreme Court instructions and discussion on sub judice matters can’t happen as per parliamentary rules.”
Goyal termed the Opposition demand for Teni’s removal “unfounded”, again underlining that the Lakhimpur Kheri case was sub judice.
