Parliamentary proceedings were disrupted for the fourth day on Friday over controversial remarks made by Minister of State for Food Processing Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti.

An unrelenting Opposition, particularly in the Rajya Sabha, is learnt to have decided to allow the members’ business in the Upper House, such as Question Hour and Zero Hour, from Monday. However, it will continue to disrupt business and discussion on Bills.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while thanking the Lok Sabha on Friday for allowing the House to function, urged the Opposition to show ‘magnanimity’ and allow “work to go on in the interest of the country”.

Meanwhile, the leaders of nine opposition parties decided to continue with their protests as the Centre rejected the proposal for a motion to censure the “errant Minister.”

“Despite the reasonability and cooperation extended by the entire Opposition in the Rajva Sabha, the Government continued to remain obdurate and highly unreasonable. This unfortunately leaves us with no option but to continue with our protest…that such remarks aimed at sharpening communal polarisation in the country for narrow partisan, political and electoral gains is not acceptable. Such remarks run against the grain of our pluralistic ethos and the spirit of our secular and democratic Constitution,” the opposition parties — except the AIADMK and BJD — said in a statement.

However, a section of the opposition members was not ready to continue with the disruptions. These MPs urged their leaders to find a way out so that at least Question Hour, Zero Hour and calling attention motion debates can be taken up. “It is for the government to take an initiative to end the impasse,” deputy leader of the Congress Anand Sharma said.

Protest move

The issue affected proceedings in the Lok Sabha too. Opposition members, led by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, entered the House wearing black gags. When Modi urged the Opposition to treat the matter as closed since the Sadhvi has apologised, Kharge wanted to know why BJP leaders are issuing such statements in the first place.

“We are not against any individual or their background but the issue is that many BJP leaders have been making controversial statements and creating an atmosphere of disharmony,” he said.

Earlier, some opposition parties protested in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in the Parliament campus alleging that the Centre is muzzling the voices of dissent. “The government does not want democratic expression and democratic voice,” Rahul told reporters.