Marshals manhandled women MPs during protest over Maharashtra situation, alleges Congress

New Delhi, Nov 25: Congress on Monday alleged that women MP's were "manhandled" in the Lok Sabha when they were protesting in the Well of the House over the Maharashtra government formation.

A section of Congress MPs clashed with Lok Sabha marshals in the Lok Sabha when they stormed the Well of the House carrying placards, leading to adjournment of Parliament proceedings.

"Security personnel manhandled our women parliamentarians. We have never experienced this inside Parliament. We will be waiting to see what action is been taken against responsible people," Chowdhury told reporters.

"We had raised a very genuine issue (Maharashtra) in Lok Sabha and protested in a democratic manner. Unfortunately, we were taken out by Marshals who tried to push us forcefully. We have filed a complaint with the Speaker," said Congress MP Hibi Eden.

"We were in the well of the House, there is no contact with Marshals unless they enter the well. They tried to get banners from us and our colleagues tried to resist it, our women colleagues were manhandled too," he added.

The BJP accused Congress members of bringing "shame" to Lok Sabha with their "unruly" conduct after MPs of the opposition party jostled with marshals, following the speaker's decision to evict two of them from the House.

Speaking to reporters, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad appealed to all parties to maintain the sanctity and great traditions of Lok Sabha, asserting that Parliament cannot be allowed to become a place for "unruly" behaviour.

"We outright condemn the reprehensible conduct of these MPs," Prasad said and also criticised senior Congress leaders who did "nothing" to prevent them.

"These members have shamed Lok Sabha in front of the country," he said.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi, both MPs, were in Lok Sabha during the incident.

Congress staged protest in Parliament against the swearing-in of a BJP-led government in Maharashtra.