LS adjourned till 2 pm over Shivakumar’s remarks

New Delhi, Mar 24 (PTI) The BJP on Monday forced repeated adjournments in the Lok Sabha over Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s remarks suggesting changing the Constitution to accommodate four per cent reservation for Muslims in the state.

BJP members were on their feet, apparently raising the issue of reservation for Muslims in government contracts, when the Lok Sabha convened at 11 am.

Samajwadi Party members too rushed to the Well waving posters while trying to flag matters of atrocities against women in Uttar Pradesh.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla strongly disapproved of SP members carrying posters to the House and adjourned the proceedings till 12 noon.

When the House re-convened, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the remarks by a person sitting on a Constitutional post to change the Constitution to facilitate four per cent reservation for Muslims is unacceptable.

“How can the House watch in silence? Congress should clarify … the person should be sacked. You claim to give reservations to Muslims and resort to theatrics of carrying a photograph of Babasaheb Ambedkar and a copy of the Constitution in your pocket,” Rijiju said.

Some Congress members tried to counter Rijiju, leading to din in the House.

BJP member Jagdambika Pal, who was in the chair, tried to restore order and later adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.

The Lok Sabha is scheduled to take up the Finance Bill for discussion on Monday.

The BJP has latched on to the remarks by Shivakumar at a media event suggesting making changes to the Constitution to facilitate reservation to Muslims in government contracts.

Several BJP leaders slammed the Congress and demanded action against Shivakumar.