Uproar Over 'Dadi' Remark, 6 Congress MLAs Spend Night In Rajasthan Assembly After Suspended For Misconduct

Jaipur: At least six Congress MLAs were suspended for the remainder of the session of the Jaipur Assembly after a row erupted over 'Dadi' remark on the Opposition by Rajasthan's Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Avinash Gehlot. As a mark of protest, the suspended Congress lawmakers spent the night in the Assembly premises.

The row erupted when Rajasthan's Minister Avinash Gehlot accused the opposition members that in 2023-2024 budget – when there was Congress government in the state – they “named all the schemes after your Dadi”. BJP leader's Dadi remark was referred to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully asked Rajasthan’s Minister to clarify whether his remark was intended towards former Prime Minster Indira Gandhi. However, Rajasthan Parliamentary Minister Jogaram Patel said that there was nothing unparliamentary in using the ward ‘Dadi’.

Condemning the conduct of some Congress lawmakers, Government chief whip Jogeshwar Garg said, “The speed and intention with which they moved towards the chair and the incident of reaching close to the Speaker is definitely condemnable and not a pardonable crime. Therefore, I request that as a result of the indecent and condemnable conduct of the opposition members in the House, the following members should be suspended for the remaining period of the current budget session… Govind Singh Dotasara, Ramkesh Meena, Amin Kagzi, Jakir Hussain, Hakim Ali and Sanjay Kumar."

Taking to Twitter, Congress MLA Tika Ram Jully said, “We strongly condemn the remarks made today by a minister of the state government on former Prime Minister Late Indira Gandhi. Congress MLAs including Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully objected to this insensitive statement. But unfortunately, 6 MLAs including Congress State President Govind Dotasra were suspended.”

“It is clear that the BJP government does not want the proceedings of the Assembly to run smoothly and is trying to spoil the atmosphere by making baseless statements,” he said.

Congress MLAs continue sit-in protest inside Rajasthan Assembly 

After being suspended for the remainder of the budget session, Congress MLAs resorted to a sit-in protest inside Rajasthan Assembly.

The lawmakers brought quilts and mattresses as the suspended MLAs planned to spend the night inside the Assembly. Meanwhile, state parliamentary affairs minister Jogaram Patel and MoS Jawaharsingh Bedham reached Assembly to convince the protesting MLAs.