Monsoon session: Naresh Agarwal apologises for remark says he didn't want to hurt anyone

Yesterday the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the Left parties and the RJD created uproar in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha as soon as the Houses met for the day.

New Delhi, July 19: Mob lynching incidents and problems faced by the farmers dominated the discussions on the third day of the Monsoon Session in Parliament.

The opposition leaders also raised the issues of standoff between India and China at the border and cow vigilantism as noisy scenes were witnessed in both the Houses.

SP leader Naresh Agrawal quoting a verse said that he read at a Dharamshala - purportedly juxtaposing alcohol and Hindu gods - invites flak from Treasury for hurting sentiments of Hindus.

Responding to this, Arun Jaitely said Naresh Aggarwal that had he spoken out of this House, he would have been liable to prosecutio.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha members attacked Agarwal over his comments linking Hindu gods with alcohol brands and demanded an apology from him.

Agarwal however apologised for his emarks and said that he didn't wanted to hurt anyone.

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha is continuing the debate on IIIT Bill.

Calling Jharkhand an 'akhara' of lynching, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the ruling party has created an atmosphere of fear. He said worst kind of human rights violation are taking place under the present BJP-led regime.

"The topic is a grave matter....this discussion is related to law and order," Azad said.

"From Kashmir to Kanya kumar, there's not a single state where lynching hasn't happened. I'm not saying it didn't happened before. It used to happen before but used to be an isolated issue. But now, the people involved in the incidents are linked to the ruling party's Sangh Pariwar," he added.

Responding to this, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi refutes Azad's contention that no action had been taken. He lists out action taken in cases including the one where Junaid was killed.

There were objections from the Opposition that Naqvi was indulging in a full reply, but they were sounded down by the Chair saying he was speaking for his party and not replying.

Quoting the Prime Minister's call for a crackdown on gau rakshaks at the all-party meeting on the eve of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Naqvi reiterates that the government is not mixing any diversionary agenda in its development agenda.

The lower House session which began at 11 was adjourned within minutes as Opposition leaders started raising pro farmers' slogan and cornered the government on farmers loan wavier issue and rise in suicide cases.

Opposition plans six agenda for the day

Earlier, the Opposition has identified six issues to target the government on Wednesday after a washout in Parliament on first working day of Monsoon session.

The Opposition has identified six issues- lynchings, the standoff with China, farmer suicides, terror attack on Amarnath yatris, use of CBI and ED to "target" Opposition leaders and the effects of GST and demonetisation.

Sources told that these were identified before the House convened when Opposition leaders met to decide a floor strategy. All parties would submit notices for discussion on the six issues.

Azad, O'Brien, Yechury and Ram Gopal Yadav (Samajwadi Party) have given notices for taking up the lynchings and assaults in Rajya Sabha.

In Lok Sabha, Jyotiraditya Scindia of the Congress and B Mahtab of the BJD will raise a discussion on the agrarian situation in the country under Rule 193.

(With agency inputs)