Ruckus in Lok Sabha over PM not wishing Indians on Eid

New Delhi: An opposition party member’s allegation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited Pashupatinath temple in Nepal to perform religious rituals, did not wish Indian citizens on Eid created uproar in the Lok Sabha, leading to an abrupt adjournment of proceedings.

Opposition members wanted a detailed debate on what they called the growing communal tension across the country, but they said the government was not ready for it.

Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay raised the matter. “Government of India should remain vigilant of communal tension, the secular fabric of the country... The Prime Minister visited Pashupatinath temple and offered puja with 24kg ghee... We appreciate it, but the PM should have greeted the nation on Eid also,” he said.

Parliamentary affairs minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, however, denied the allegation and said the prime minister had greeted people on Eid. “Our government believes in sarva dharma sama bhavana,” he said.

While the Congress and TMC members demanded a debate on communal tensions, Samajwadi Party members wanted to discuss the issue of some students demanding the removal of the Civil Service Aptitude Test from the civil service examinations. The government said on Monday that the performance of students in the English section of the test wouldn’t be taken into account, responding to concerns that the test discriminates against Hindi speakers.

The House adjourned for 15 minutes.