Jaipur, Feb 27: The prolonged deadlock in the Rajasthan Assembly, triggered by a controversy over state minister Avinash Gehlot's remarks on former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, came to an end on Thursday following Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma's intervention.
The impasse lasted nearly a week and was resolved after Sharma met with Speaker Vasudev Devnani and Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully. As part of the resolution, the suspension of six Congress MLAs, including Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra, was revoked after Jully apologized to the Laxmangarh legislator for his conduct towards the speaker.
Following the resolution, Congress legislators returned to the House and participated in the proceedings. Jully expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for facilitating the discussions and helping to end the deadlock.
Speaker’s Firm Stance on Conduct
Speaker Vasudev Devnani, while accepting Jully's apology, maintained that Dotasra’s conduct was inappropriate. He called the Congress leader’s words "unfortunate" and urged the opposition to maintain decorum in the future. Devnani also ruled that any MLA reaching the speaker's dais in protest would face immediate suspension without requiring a formal proposal.
On Devnani’s directive, the government's chief whip Jogeshwar Garg moved a proposal to revoke the suspension of the six Congress MLAs—Govind Singh Dotasra, Ramkesh Meena, Amin Kagzi, Jakir Hussain, Hakam Ali, and Sanjay Kumar. The motion was passed by voice vote, restoring the legislators' House membership. However, the speaker stated that their formal return to the House would occur on Friday.
Congress Protest Over Minister’s Remark
Earlier in the day, Congress MLAs boycotted the Assembly proceedings and staged a mock session outside in protest against Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Avinash Gehlot’s remarks about Indira Gandhi. Holding placards, they marched to the Assembly premises, sat in protest, and demanded an apology from the minister.
During the protest, Congress members held a symbolic "Question Hour" outside the House, with MLA Ghanshyam acting as the "chair," while others posed questions regarding BJP leaders’ conduct. Meanwhile, inside the Assembly, BJP MLAs accused the Congress of disrupting proceedings and called for an end to the standoff.
Political Reactions and Resolution Efforts
Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot urged both sides to cooperate to resolve the issue. Jully reiterated that the opposition was open to discussions, blaming the government for avoiding dialogue.
"We are open to talks. I have conveyed to the Chief Minister and the Parliamentary Affairs Minister that we are ready for discussions. Dotasra ji also expressed his willingness to visit the speaker's residence to clarify matters. The government is reluctant to run the House," Jully stated.
Rajasthan’s Minister of State for Home, Jawahar Singh Bedham, criticized the Congress MLAs for abandoning Assembly proceedings. He argued that the term “dadi” (grandmother), used by Avinash Gehlot for Indira Gandhi, was not derogatory and compared it to "chacha" (uncle) used for Jawaharlal Nehru.
Bedham also insisted that Dotasra should apologize for his remarks against the speaker, stating, "He holds a dignified position as the Congress state president. He should apologize and let the House function smoothly."
During Zero Hour, BJP MLA Arjun Lal raised the matter, stressing that no disrespectful remarks were made by Avinash Gehlot and urging an end to the deadlock.
After several rounds of discussions, including meetings led by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel, Dotasra agreed to apologize for his remarks towards the speaker. However, Bedham said the opposition leader did not fully adhere to the agreed-upon statements when addressing the House.
The political tension originally erupted during a session on February 28, when Avinash Gehlot referred to Indira Gandhi as "dadi" while discussing a scheme for working women's hostels in the 2023-24 budget. The remark sparked uproar, leading to multiple adjournments and the suspension of six Congress MLAs.
With the deadlock now resolved, the Assembly is set to resume its normal functioning, with discussions on the state budget continuing.
