Oppostion protests disrupt Lok Sabha's functioning

NEW DELHI: Congress members in the Lok Sabha today raised anti-government slogans on various issues, accusing it of adopting a "dictatorial" attitude but the proceedings continued amid disturbances.

As soon as the House took up the Question Hour, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge raised the issue of cow vigilantism. But Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said he would not be allowed to raise any issue during the Question Hour.

Soon, Congress members trooped into the Well and raised slogans such as "Pradhan Mantri jawab do (PM should reply)", "tanashahi nahin chalegi (end dictatorship)", "jaat ke nam par rajniti band karo (End politics in the name of caste)".

Soon members from the Trinamool Congress also entered the Well, but did not join the Congress members in raising slogans.

After the Question Hour, the Congress members continued to protest and sought to raise various issues ranging from lynchings in the name of protecting cows and the farmers' plight.

As external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj rose to make a statement on the Indians missing in Mosul city of Iraq, Congress members were unrelenting and Kharge was heard saying that they wanted to raise issues related to mob lynching and farmers.