Opposition begins signature drive for JPC probe on death of E Ahamed

NEW DELHI: The Congress and Left parties on Monday began a signature campaign for MPs, demanding a JPC probe into the death of E Ahamed. The parties are planning to hand over the memorandum to the prime minister.

The death of Ahamed, who was rushed to a hospital from Parliament after he suffered a stroke during the President’s address to the joint-sitting last week, triggered a row with Opposition members alleging the of ficial announcement of his death was deliberately delayed fearing it could affect the Budget presentation.

They also claimed the hospital staff had misbehaved with family members of the former union minister when they reached hospital to see him. The memorandum details the negligence charges levelled by the Ahamed family.

The decision on submitting the memorandum was taken after the Congress and Left, which had been protesting in Lok Sabha over the issue during the last few days, decided that they should now end the House protest and formally place before the PM the demand for a JPC probe.

On Monday morning many Opposition MPs including Rahul Gandhi staged a dharna outside Parliament house over the issue and later forced an adjournment of the House.