Congress MPs protest in Parliament premises over Delhi riots

The Congress MPs are demanding the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah over Delhi violence and staged a protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue inside Parliament premises.

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi and other Congress MPs staged a protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue inside Parliament premises on Friday.

The MPs were demanding the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah over Delhi violence in which 53 people lost their lives while over 300 people sustained injuries.

The Lok Sabha suspended seven Congress members on Thursday for the remaining period of the Budget Session for "gross misconduct" and "utter disregard" for House rules after they snatched papers from the speaker's table.

As soon as the Lok Sabha reassembled at 3 pm following an adjournment, Meenakshi Lekhi, who was presiding the House, named Gaurav Gogoi, T N Prathapan, Dean Kuriakose, Manicka Tagore, Rajmohan Unnithan, Benny Behanan and Gurjeet Singh Aujla.

Wearing black bands, Congress leaders including Gogoi and former Union minister Shashi Tharoor staged a protest in front of the Gandhi statue and alleged that the members were suspended from the House to scare the grand old party.

"But we will not be scared. We will not be scared to demand a discussion on the violence in Delhi, we will raise the issue continuously," Gogoi said as the Congress leaders raised slogans demanding the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Notably, it is expected that the Congress will also meet the Lok Sabha Speaker and seek revocation of the suspension of seven Congress MPs for unruly behaviour.