Parliament – Congress And BJP Trade Barbs Over Protest Conduct In Lok Sabha
Parliament – A political disagreement in Parliament intensified on Thursday after Congress MP Manickam Tagore criticised BJP MP Nishikant Dubey for describing the opposition’s protest as a “picnic.” The remark came during an ongoing demonstration by Congress members highlighting concerns about the reported shortage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in several regions of the country.
Protest Over LPG Issues Sparks Political Row
Congress MPs have been staging protests inside the Parliament complex to draw attention to what they claim is an LPG shortage affecting households in multiple states. According to the party, the demonstrations are meant to press the government to respond to public concerns regarding cooking gas supply and affordability.
Manickam Tagore strongly objected to Dubey’s comment, saying it belittled the efforts of lawmakers who are participating in the protests. In a post on social media platform X, Tagore stated that members of Parliament had been raising their voices against what they view as the misuse of authority and disciplinary actions taken against opposition MPs.
He added that MPs from different states have been consistently participating in the protests and deserve respect for highlighting issues affecting citizens.
Rahul Gandhi’s Presence At Protest Draws Attention
The controversy gained momentum after Tagore shared a video showing several Congress leaders, including Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, sitting together and drinking tea during the protest at the Parliament complex. The gathering was part of the broader demonstration organised by the Congress party regarding LPG supply concerns.
Soon after the video circulated online, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey questioned the manner in which the protest was being conducted. Dubey argued that Parliament should maintain decorum and that the setting was not meant for informal activities during demonstrations.
BJP MP Files Notice With Lok Sabha Speaker
Nishikant Dubey later submitted a formal notice to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla regarding the incident. According to Dubey, the protest was intended to highlight the problems faced by ordinary citizens due to LPG shortages, and such demonstrations should reflect the seriousness of the issue.
Speaking to reporters, Dubey said that Parliament is not a place for casual gatherings and emphasised that lawmakers should maintain a sense of responsibility while raising public concerns.
He also noted that the government would respond to questions related to LPG supply, but protests within the Parliament premises should follow appropriate conduct.
Debate Over Parliamentary Conduct
Dubey further commented that Parliament operates differently from street protests and that demonstrations inside the institution should respect parliamentary norms. He criticised the Congress party’s approach, suggesting that such incidents reveal why the party has struggled to regain national power.
The BJP MP also stated that he had submitted a pen drive along with the notice to the Speaker, claiming it contained material related to the incident.
Opposition Defends Its Demonstration
Meanwhile, Congress leaders maintain that their protest is focused on issues affecting citizens across the country. Tagore stressed that MPs from states such as Punjab, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Maharashtra have been participating in the demonstrations to highlight public concerns.
He said the protest represents a collective effort by opposition lawmakers to question government decisions and raise issues being reported by people in their constituencies.
As the debate continues, the incident has become another example of the ongoing political friction between the ruling party and the opposition inside Parliament, particularly during sessions where public policy and economic issues are being discussed.