Lok Sabha adjourns briefly over Gujarat hooch tragedy

The hooch tragedy in Narendra Modi-ruled Gujarat generated heat in the Lok Sabha on Monday with Congress members raising the issue vociferously leading to adjournment of the House for a brief period.

The hooch tragedy in Narendra Modi-ruled Gujarat generated heat in the Lok Sabha on Monday with Congress members raising the issue vociferously leading to adjournment of the House for a brief period.

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The Congress members alleged that BJP workers in Gandhinagar had attacked Congress legislators when they were staging a dharna in the assembly premises demanding action in the matter.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Mukesh Kumar Gadhvi (Congress) claimed that as many as 265 persons were killed after taking poisonous liquor. When Congress legislators demanded a discussion in the assembly, they were thrown out, he said, alleging the MLAs were beaten up by BJP activists.

At one point when Speaker Meira Kumar asked Gadhvi to stop and took up the next item on the day's agenda, Congress members started proceeding towards the well, but were persuaded by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal to go to their seats.

Some BJP members, especially from Gujarat, sought to counter the protests but were pacified by BJP Deputy leader Sushma Swaraj. Leader of Opposition L K Advani, who represents Gandhinagar, was also present in the House.

When the Congress members persisted with the protests, the Speaker adjourned the House 20 minutes ahead of the hour-long lunch break.