The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned sine die within two minutes of convening, as the Opposition continued to protest Union Home minister Amit Shah's remark on Dr BR Ambedkar. The ongoing session is set to close under the shadow of the ruling and opposition sides clashing over the remark, inside and outside the Houses.
Members of the INDIA bloc started a protest march from Vijay Chowk till the Parliament, a day after dramatic scenes played out in Parliament as the BJP protested at the Makar Dwar, while the Opposition stood with Ambedkar posters demanding Mr Shah's resignation. At the centre of the row is the minister's remark, "It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar'. If they took God's name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven." Two BJP MPs were hospitalised after suffering head injuries in a face-off between the opposition and NDA members.
Protests over various issues, including the Sambhal violence, Manipur situation and Congress' link with billionaire George Soros, led to proceedings being washed out on most days. The Constitution debate saw Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi's debut speech in the Lok Sabha, while in the Rajya Sabha, the opposition moved a no-confidence motion against Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.