Deadlock in Rajasthan Assembly continues over ‘Dadi’ remark apology issue
The Rajasthan Assembly’s four-day-long deadlock continues over the ‘Dadi’ remarks against the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi after both the state government and the opposition had agreed to apologise to each other.
IANS
Feb 24, 2025 11:42
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Jaipur, Feb 24 (IANS) The Rajasthan Assembly’s four-day-long deadlock continues over the ‘Dadi’ remarks against the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi after both the state government and the opposition had agreed to apologise to each other.
While both sides had agreed to reinstate six suspended MLAs, a dispute arose over who should apologise first, reigniting tensions in the House.
The ruling party asserted that Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) Chief Govind Singh Dotasra had agreed in a meeting with the Speaker to apologise for his act of climbing onto the Speaker’s dais.
However, when addressing the House, Dotasra merely called the incident "regrettable" without offering a direct apology.
The Speaker insisted that he explicitly state, "I express regret." Despite this, Dotasra refused to apologise outright, instead demanding that Minister Avinash Gehlot first apologise for his controversial remarks.
"The minister's comments on Indira Gandhi sparked the controversy. If the ruling party expects us to express regret, the minister must first apologise for his statement," Dotasra argued.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel objected, stating that an agreement had been reached for the opposition to apologise first before further proceedings.
He accused Dotasra of going back on the deal, calling it unacceptable. In response to the impasse, Speaker Vasudev Devnani expressed frustration, emphasising that the Assembly Speaker holds the authority to suspend members.
"I have given multiple opportunities for reconciliation, but the opposition remains adamant. Enough is enough—do whatever you want," he declared.
The Speaker urged both parties to take responsibility for resolving the dispute and allow the Assembly to function smoothly. However, with neither side willing to budge, the deadlock remained unresolved.
Earlier, Congress workers staged a huge protest against the ‘Dadi’ remarks.
