Janjivan Bureau / New Delhi :
The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the second time on Wednesday during Zero Hour amid sloganeering by the Congress that is seeking an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for having levelled allegations against former PM Manmohan Singh.
The central government has ruled out any apology from the prime minister who had in the middle of Gujarat elections alleged that former PM Singh was at a dinner meeting with Pakistan High Commissioner and ex Pakistan foreign minister at the residence of Congress man Mani Shankar Aiyar to hatch a conspiracy to impact Gujarat polls in Congress favour.
Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House till 2 pm. Earlier, Question Hour was adjourned within seconds of the Lok Sabha convening for the day.
The Speaker did not allow Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge to speak on the Modi-Manmohan issue.
The Congress rushed to the Well of the House seeking an apology from Modi.
“Doctor sahib se maafi maango,” shouted the Congress protesters.
Modi was not in the House during Zero Hour when the slogans were raised.
The Congress on Wednesday indicated it would not let the Parliament function until Prime Minister Narendra Modi either proved the serious “anti-national” charges he levelled against his predecessor Manmohan Singh and other dignitaries or withdrew his words with regrets.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said the PM maligned former Prime Minister, former vice President Hamid Ansari, former Army Chief and other tall leaders under a conspiracy to win Gujarat elections.
“The PM should come and say in Parliament that he said what he said under a conspiracy to win Gujarat elections. He said all that because he wanted public sympathy and hoped that by painting Congress leaders as anti national he could swing the voters towards the BJP. Now that he has won the election and his objective stands achieved let him come and say this in the Parliament and tell people the reality,” Azad said flanked by MPs in both Houses, which have not functioned due to disruption of the opposition on the above issue.
The Congress said the entire opposition was with it on the matter of principles.
“We don’t know how people in the media view this issue. It’s not a routine disruption. PM makes serious allegations on his predecessor and other top leaders and doesn’t feel the need to clarify. This means they will say anything and get away with it, paint anyone as anti national and not regret. We have nothing against the PM. Let him come and say all this as it is,” Azad said.
