Lok Sabha adjourned till 2 PM amid protests by treasury over 'threat' to PM Modi's life
New Delhi (PTI): Lok Sabha witnessed uproar on Monday over the issue of alleged threatening slogans raised at a Congress rally against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leading to adjournment of proceedings.
The Lok Sabha was first adjourned till 12 noon and then till 2 PM as BJP and Congress members were locked in a verbal duel on the issue.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju condemned the alleged slogans raised at a Congress rally here on Sunday and demanded an apology from the top leadership of the main opposition party.
"We are political opponents, not enemies. Congress workers have threatened to dig the grave of the prime minister at the Congress rally. This is the most unfortunate incident to happen," Rijiju said as the Lok Sabha convened for the day at 11 am, triggering protests from the Congress members.
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"Congress should now tender an apology for giving threat to the prime minister," Rijiju said.
Amid the turmoil, Speaker Om Birla adjourned the proceedings till 12 noon.
At the Congress rally, slogans of "digging Modi's grave" (Modi teri kabr khudegi) were reportedly raised by an attendee.
When the House re-assembled at 12 noon, Congress members were in the Well raising slogans against Home Minister Amit Shah.
BJP member Dilip Saikia, who was in the chair, allowed tabling of parliamentary papers and assured the Congress members that he would allow them to raise their issues after the Zero Hour mentions.
With members unrelenting in their protests, Saika adjourned the proceedings till 2 PM.
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Earlier, when the House met at 11 am after the weekend break, Birla first paid tributes to three former members of the House -- Subhash Ahuja, Prof Salahuddin, and Bal Krishna Chauhan --who passed away in the recent past.
As soon as the obituary references were over, the members of the treasury benches were on their feet protesting against the alleged threat to the prime minister.
Rijiju said in 2014 when an MP made certain remarks against the opposition, the prime minister had directed him to tender an apology and accordingly he did that.
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Veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa laid to rest with full state honours
Bengaluru (PTI): Veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa was laid to rest with full state honours on Monday.
The 94-year-old former minister, who passed away at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Sunday, was cremated at the Kalleshwara Mill premises, following Veerashaiva-Lingayat traditions.
Earlier in the day, Shivashankarappa's mortal remains were brought to his native Davanagere, where they were kept at the high school grounds for the public, his followers, and well-wishers to pay their last respects.
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Expressing deep sorrow over his demise, the Karnataka government ordered that his last rites be performed with full state honours.
Both the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Council also mourned his passing, adjourning their sessions for the day after paying tributes.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, several ministers, opposition leaders, legislators, and political figures paid their respects.
A number of seers from the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community also attended the last rites.
Shivashankarappa represented the Davanagere South Assembly constituency. He had been undergoing treatment at the hospital for some time before succumbing to age-related ailments.
The senior-most legislator in Karnataka, Shivashankarappa, was also one of the longest-serving lawmakers in the country, sources said.
He is survived by three sons, including S S Mallikarjun, the Karnataka Minister for Mines, Geology, and Horticulture, and four daughters. His daughter-in-law, Prabha Mallikarjun, is the Member of Parliament from Davanagere.
A six-time MLA, Shivashankarappa also served as a minister and an MP.
He was a prominent educationist, establishing several educational institutions, and was an industrialist.
Additionally, he served as the treasurer of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) for decades and was the president of the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, the apex body of the influential Veerashaiva-Lingayat community.
