Rajasthan: Congress MLAs spend night in Assembly, suspended for protesting against minister’s ‘dadi’ remark

JAIPUR: Amid the political slugfest in Rajasthan state legislatively assembly, six Congress MLAs were suspended for protesting against the remarks of a state minister made on the floor of the house. Notably, multiple party leaders spent the whole night in the assembly objecting to the remarks of state minister Avinash Gehlot made against Indira Gandhi.

Leader of Opposition in the legislative assembly, Tikaram Jully underlined that the opposition is only asking for the remarks on former PM Indira Gandhi to be expunged, whereas the government just wants to hide the mistakes of their ministers.

“The MLAs were ready, we had talked to the speaker but we did not get any reply from there. I also think that the government just wants to put out the message publicly that the Opposition is simply protesting and blocking, but there is nothing like that from our side. The Opposition is only asking that the remarks made on Indira Gandhi ji be taken back, the way they are making an issue of it and covering up the mistakes of their (BJP) ministers,” he told ANI on Saturday. “

All are equal (in the assembly), it is the duty of all of us and Assembly speaker to maintain dignity. Speaker could have ordered to expunge those remarks, but you are intentionally provoking the opposition. We had to spent the entire night here. People of the state are witnessing the stubbornness of the govt,” he added.

#WATCH | Jaipur, Rajasthan: Congress MLAs continue to protest inside the Rajasthan Assembly over the suspension of six Congress MLAs for the remainder of the ongoing Budget Session

Six Congress MLAs, including state Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra, were suspended over… pic.twitter.com/QzniX6MgML

— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) February 21, 2025

Deputy Chief Minister Premchand Bairwa also recounted the incident and the uproar in the assembly after a state minister called former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as a ‘dadi,’ condemning the actions of the Opposition.

“The incident took place inside the state Assembly yesterday, our Minister used the term ‘Didi’ (for former PM Indira Gandhi) out of respect. But, the opposition took it the wrong way. The Speaker told them that that part would be expunged. Even after that, the opposition did not listen and verbally attacked him. This is condemnable,” he told ANI.

Rajasthan minister Jogaram Patel also condemned the state’s opposition, “The Minister of Social Welfare said that the schemes were implemented during the tenure of former PM Indira Gandhi. His neither was not wrong and he did not mean to disrespect someone. Calling someone ‘dadi’ (grandmother) is not an unparliamentary language…They got flared up and moved towards the dias of the speaker…The Congress party should express regret over this unlawful act.

“The state’s social welfare minister, Avinash Gehlot had remarked on the floor of the legislative assembly, “In the 2023-24 budget, also, like always, you named the scheme (on working women’s hostels) after your ‘dadi’ (grandmother) Indira Gandhi.”

Six Congress MLAs were suspended for the remaining budget session of the assembly. Speaker Vasudev Devnani suspended Govind Singh Dotasara, Deputy Leader of Opposition Ramkesh Meena, Amin Kagzi, Zakir Hussain Gasavat, Hakeem Ali Khan and Sanjay Kumar. Following the remarks, multiple Congress leaders, including forme CM Ashok Gehlot said that the comments were made just to provoke the Opposition. (ANI)