The Opposition on Thursday stepped up its protests inside and outside Parliament against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s refusal to act against junior home minister Ajay Mishra Teni over the Lakhimpur Kheri carnage.

Trinamul members, who had largely been staying away from the Congress-led protests on the issue, too were in the Well of the House chanting slogans along with Congress and Left members.

The government continued to maintain its studied silence on Teni, preferring to brave the farmers’ anger at the minister instead of acting against a politician from Uttar Pradesh so close to the state elections.

Teni’s son Ashish is among 13 people arrested after a Thar jeep belonging to the minister allegedly mowed down four farmers and a journalist near Teni’s home in Lakhimpur Kheri district on October 3. On Tuesday, a special investigation team said the killings were “pre-planned”.

Rahul Gandhi led the Opposition charge in the Lok Sabha. When Speaker Om Birla called Rahul during Question Hour to raise the question listed against his name, he straightaway broached the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.

“This minister should be removed,” the Congress leader said. “We should be allowed to speak about it (Lakhimpur Kheri).”

The Speaker asked Rahul to stick to the question related to the MSME sector that was listed against his name.

“You are a senior member. You ask the question number 262. You will be given adequate time to ask the question you have listed for Question Hour. You claim that you are not allowed to speak in the House. I will give you adequate time if you stick to the question listed by you,” the Speaker said.

Parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi said Rahul was trying to speak at a time when Congress members were in the Well.

“How can this be allowed? Ask him to call the members back to their seats,” Joshi said.

BJP members too were on their feet as Rahul continued to seek Teni’s removal. With the Opposition continuing to chant slogans on the issue, the House was adjourned till 2pm.

In the Rajya Sabha, pre-lunch proceedings were adjourned even before the leader of the Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge, could raise the issue. Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu refused to entertain any notices given under Rule 267 because the Opposition was not allowing the House to function.

While both Houses reconvened after lunch, little business could be transacted as the Opposition kept its guns trained at the government over Teni.

Kharge later accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of protecting Teni.

“The Prime Minister is not taking any action. If no action is being taken despite the SIT report then we have to say that the PM is protecting him,” he said.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh, tweeted: “The government’s refusal to sack Ajay Mishra Teni is the starkest indication of its moral bankruptcy. @narendramodi ji, carefully curated spectacles of piety and wearing religious attire will not change the fact that you are protecting a criminal. Ajay Mishra Teni should be sacked and charged in accordance with the law.”

Opposition leaders also flagged how Teni had on Wednesday got aggressive with reporters for asking him a question about the case, calling the media “thieves” and lunging at a journalist.

“If the Prime Minister is not taking action against the minister after all this, then he is not a strong PM; he is a very helpless PM,” RJD parliamentarian Manoj Jha told TV reporters.

Additional reporting by PTI