Congress members in Lok Sabha on Monday stormed the well carrying placards to protest the swearing-in of a BJP-led government in Maharashtra, leading to adjournment of House proceedings till noon. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said democracy has been murdered in Maharashtra. He made these remarks during Question Hour when Speaker Om Birla told him to ask a supplementary.

"There is no question of asking question (in Question Hour) today. Democracy has been murdered in Maharashtra," Rahul Gandhi said.

Speaker Om Birla ordered the removal of two Congress members Hibi Eden and T N Prathapan — who were holding a big banner with 'stop murder of democracy slogan — by marshals.

Intense protests by Congress members resisting their removal prompted the Speaker to adjourn the House till noon.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has reserved order on the Maharashtra government formation day till Tuesday 10:30 am.

Government formation in Maharashtra has come under the apex court's scrutiny with the Centre being asked to produce before the court letters of the Governor inviting Fadnavis as well as the communication of the BJP leader staking his claim.

After Fadnavis returned as the chief minister on Saturday, the Shiv Sena claimed that the Sena-NCP-Congress combine has a support of 165 MLAs and can comfortably prove its majority in the Assembly.

The BJP has claimed that Fadnavis had the support of 170 MLAs. The majority mark in a House of 288 is 145.

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm, opposition remains combative

In the Rajya Sabha, chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu adjourned proceedings till 2 pm as the opposition demanded to suspend House business and discuss Maharashtra political crisis.

Besides Congress MPs, leaders of the DMK and CPI also gave notice under rule 267 in the Rajya Sabha for suspension of business hours claiming the political events unfolding in Maharashtra as undemocratic.

In his notice to the Rajya Sabha Chairman, the Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Binoy Viswam said that the developments in Maharashtra have brought shame to the country's democratic system.

"The midnight plot aimed to murder the people's desire for a democratically elected government under the veil of darkness is a matter of great concern. The office of Governor was once again used as a tool in installing a government that holds no legitimacy of the people," Viswam said.

-with inputs from PTI and IANS

First Published:Nov 25, 2019 12:03 PM IST