Rajasthan govt tables UCC Bill in Assembly amid protest, sloganeering by Cong MLAs

Jaipur, Aug 21 (AHN) The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill was tabled in the Rajasthan Assembly on Friday amid loud protests and sloganeering by Congress MLAs on the second day of the Monsoon Session.

Parliamentary Affairs and Law Minister Jogaram Patel introduced the Bill in the House, which is expected to be taken up for debate before being passed. Proceedings witnessed repeated disruptions from the beginning of the day.

Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully raised the issue of Congress MLAs allegedly being stopped at the Assembly gate and demanded a discussion. He also sought to raise the alleged assault on CJP activists who had gone to inspect schools.

The Speaker did not allow the issue to be raised during Question Hour, following which Congress MLAs entered the Well of the House, raised slogans against the government and displayed posters describing the government as a “fugitive”.

The BJP MLAs responded with slogans targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, calling him a “fugitive” and a “thief”.

Amid the escalating uproar, the Assembly proceedings were first adjourned until noon and later until 1 p.m.

When the House reconvened at 1 p.m., the protests continued. Amid the commotion, Minister Jogaram Patel tabled the UCC Bill.

The Bill will be debated subsequently before being put to a vote. Congress MLAs announced a boycott of the House and walked out at 1:21 p.m.

Jully said the Opposition was not being allowed to raise issues concerning the public. He objected to the government’s attempt to complete its legislative business while, according to him, public concerns were being ignored.

The Speaker had asked the Congress members to allow the demands for grants related to the Finance Department to be passed first.

Also, during the protests, a heated exchange took place between Congress and BJP legislators over the alleged assault on CJP activists.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Patel accused the Congress of being a “murderer of democracy” and said the party had no substantive issues to raise.

Government Chief Whip Jogeshwar Garg alleged that Congress MLAs had been accompanied by outsiders and “anti-social elements” on Thursday and had sought to bring them into the Assembly premises, which he said was the reason they were stopped at the gate.

After the Congress boycott, Patel alleged that internal differences within the Congress were behind the disruption. He claimed that the uproar was deliberately created to prevent the Leader of the Opposition from taking political credit. Patel also accused the Congress party of staging an improper protest the previous day and making misleading statements to the media.

He said the Opposition had “fled” the Assembly without raising substantive issues, including during Question Hour, and added that the people of Rajasthan were watching the developments.

The Assembly continued its proceedings in the absence of the Congress MLAs.