BJP MP Parvesh Verma

NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha witnessed high drama on Monday with the opposition walking out after BJP MP Parvesh Verma , who has been in controversy for his speeches during the Delhi poll campaign, stuck to his aggressive tone to slam Congress for anti-CAA/NRC protests and urged the opposition to chant “Jai Shri Ram”.

Verma, who was briefly barred from campaigning, was fielded to initiate the debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s address.

Chant Jai Shri Ram to wash away sins: Verma to oppn

It proved a red rag for the opposition, which staged a walkout raising slogans of “sharam karo” despite pleas from Speaker Om Birla.

The Speaker, who had urged the protesting MPs to return to their seats, told them CAA was passed after due process in both Houses and could not be discussed again.

Verma’s acerbic, hourlong prepared speech, which he read out, appeared largely a campaign for the Delhi polls as he accused the opposition and Congress of indulging in “vote-bank” politics. “They should know it is Narendra Modi’s government. We will not take back CAA. It is a question of the country’s integrity,” he said.

The Delhi MP said Congress had created problems like Articles 370 and 35A and BJP was solving these to strengthen the country.

Stating that the Shaheen Bagh sit-in was not against CAA, he claimed the protesters were hailing Pakistan and talking about cutting off Assam and J&K from India.

Turning to Ayodhya, Verma asked the opposition (only TMC was present) to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ to “wash away sins”. At one point, he accused Congress of removing pictures of Ram, Krishna and Hanuman from the copy of the Constitution.

In the morning, the House witnessed continuous disruption by the opposition with Congress, DMK, Left and BSP holding up posters against CAA, NRC and NPR and Congress MPs storming into the well during question hour.

Junior finance minister Anurag Thakur was at the receiving end of much of the sloganeering after his controversial “desh ke gaddaron ko” remark, with opposition MPs referring to him as “goli mantri” and raising slogans of “down down” and “shame shame” each time he rose to speak. Congress MPs also raised slogans of “azadi from CAA, NPR and NRC” using their protest placards to block treasury bench speakers. Parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi too requested opposition MPs to raise their concerns during the discussion on the motion of thanks to the President’s address.

