Demanding a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on comments linking Pakistan to Manmohan Singh and other Congress leaders, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday asked the Rajya Sabha if “the former PM was not loyal to this country.”
Prime Minister Modi had accused the former prime minister and former Vice President Hamid Ansari of meeting Pakistan's High Commissioner at Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's residence to conspire against the government in the Gujarat elections.
Lashing out the prime minister, Azad said that Ansari, senior Congress leader Natwar Singh and others had been unnecessarily dragged into the controversy.
Soon, chaos erupted in the upper house and the Chair had to intervene, asking the house to remain calm, while adding that he had personally spoken to Manmohan Singh.
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Manmohan Singh met me and expressed his concerns. I have spoken to him and understood what he meant. We went to the right persons also. I also received a note of what exactly has been said I have also received a note of what others have said, where the PM was called names.Venkaiah Naidu, Chairman, Rajya Sabha
Naidu encouraged all feuding members to “sort everything out” amongst themselves, rather than engaging in fruitless allegations and counter-allegations.
Responding to the opposition’s call, Leader of the house, Arun Jaitley, said “I would be privileged to invite all opposition members to try and find a solution to the matter.”
Also Read: LS Adjourned Over Modi’s Allegations Against Manmohan Singh, Again
Congress members later staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha and asked for an apology from PM Modi.
The walkout came after the proceedings of the Lok Sabha were adjourned for nearly 30 minutes on Tuesday around noon due to slogan-shouting by Congress members demanding an apology from PM Modi.
Video Editor: Mohd Irshad
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