Opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha changed their strategy on Tuesday, raising slogans against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act only when members of the ruling BJP and other parties that supported the passage of the controversial law rose to speak in the House.

Members usually carry on sloganeering irrespective of who is speaking — a fellow party leader or a rival MP.

Congress and Trinamul Congress members stayed put in the well of the House throughout zero hour, when members are allowed to raise issues of national importance.

The MPs had rushed into the well after House Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu disallowed a motion moved by Trinamul leader Derek O’Brien for suspension of business to discuss the ongoing protests against the citizenship law.

Naidu asked the MPs to go back to their seats but when they remained at the well, he chose to go ahead with the zero hour despite the din.

When he called BJP leader Kirori Lal Meena to speak on the locust attack on crops in Rajasthan, Punjab and Gujarat, the protesting Opposition MPs raised slogans like “CAA pe halla bol (raise your voice against the CAA)” and “Goli chalana band karo (stop shooting). The MPs were silent when Congress MP Ripun Bora spoke.

They started shouting slogans again when BJD leaders Prassanna Aacharya and Amar Patnaik, AIADMK MP Navaneethakrishnan and YSR Congress leader Vijaysai Reddy were called to speak.

The BJD, AIADMK and the YSR Congress had supported the citizenship bill.

“Why is this selective protest by Congress party leaders? They have been taught a lesson (in the general election),” Reddy said.