The Congress on Tuesday brought Rahul Gandhi's protest over the police action against students in Delhi to the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, with its MLAs staging a sit-in outside Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's chamber after they were not allowed to raise the issue in the House. Led by Leader of the Opposition Umang Singhar, Congress legislators sought a discussion on the lathi charge on students protesting over the paper leak issue at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Monday.
However, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya objected, saying the matter was not related to Madhya Pradesh and was not appropriate for discussion in the state Assembly. After the Chair did not permit the discussion, Congress MLAs walked out and staged a dharna outside the Chief Minister's office inside the Assembly complex.
They raised slogans against the BJP-led Centre and demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Addressing reporters, Umang Singhar said the government had refused to discuss an issue concerning the country's youth.
"The government says this is not a state subject. Students have been subjected to a lathi-charge and tear gassing, yet their voices are not being heard even in the Legislative Assembly. This is a mockery of students and the youth," he said. The protest came as the Congress stepped up its attack on the Centre after Rahul Gandhi and other party leaders staged a dharna in New Delhi over the police action against students protesting over the paper leak issue.
In a statement, the Madhya Pradesh Congress said it stood firmly with Rahul Gandhi and accused the Centre of trying to suppress the voice of students. The party said it would continue its fight for the rights of the youth "from the streets to Parliament".
The issue added to the political confrontation in the Assembly on the second day of the Monsoon Session, which also witnessed heated exchanges over the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill. Despite repeated disruptions during the day, the Assembly later passed the UCC Bill.