Both the Houses of Parliament were adjourned for a brief period till 1230 hours today following uproar over an incident of allegedly forcing a catering staffer to break the Roza fast by some Shiv Sena MPs in new Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi last week.
The two houses witnessed noisy scenes over the issue during Zero hour. In the Lok Sabha.
Members from the treasury and opposition benches exchanged heated arguments on the issue, raised by M I Shahnavas of the Congress. Ramesh Bidhuri of the BJP, who was seen rushing towards the Congress benches, was stopped by his party colleagues. Responding to this, Heavy Industries Minister Anant Geete brushed aside newspaper reports and said it was not fair to tell an untruth during holy Ramzan month.
Reacting to his observation, some of the opposition members including Asaddudin Owaisi of M I M party, trooped into the well of the House forcing its adjournment for 15 minutes till 1230 hours. Later, the BJP member apologized for his behaviour in the House, when it re-assembled after the adjournment.
In the Rajya Sabha, the issue was raised by members belonging to the Samajwadi party and Congress. forcing its adjournment for ten minutes.
Members from the Congress, RJD, NCP and Left parties staged a walkout on the issue.
BSP chief Mayawati has demanded that the government arrest the Shiv Sena MP who allegedly tried to force feed a Muslim staff member at Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi. Replying to a media query outside Parliament House today, she said the government should take stern action against the MP without any delay.
Congress has reacted strongly to the alleged forcefeeding of a Muslim staff member at Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi. Party leader Kamal Nath said it is an extremely shameful incident. He said it demonstrates Shiv Sena's mindset.
The president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi has demanded registration of an FIR against the Shiv Sena MP who allegedly tried to force feed a Muslim staff member at the Maharashtra Sadan. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament House, he said the FIR should be filed for hurting religious sentiments. He said the treatment meted out to the the staff member is barbaric.
Reacting to the incident, BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said he is not aware of it. He, however, said, if the incident really did take place, it should not have happened.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Anil Desai denied that any such incident took place. He said it is being blown out of proportion and given a communal colour.
Government says it will take appropriate action after the complete assessment of the news that appeared in a daily relating to allegedly forcing a catering staffer to break the Roza fast, by some Shiv Sena MPs in Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi last week.
The Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar said this while replying to a question by a JD(U) member Ali Anwar Ansari on the issue.
