Opposition's RS walkout: 'Will retire if Anurag proves Waqf remark against me,' says a livid Kharge

The entire Opposition, including the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), walked out of the Rajya Sabha on Thursday to protest remarks against their leader Mallikarjun Kharge allegedly made by BJP MP Anurag Thakur in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Speaking shortly before the Zero Hour, Kharge, Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said he was deeply hurt by what Anurag had said about him in the Lok Sabha.

Stating that his whole life had been an open book, Kharge said he would retire from public life if Anurag could prove that he (Kharge) or his children had occupied even an inch of Waqf land.

“Likewise, Anurag should resign if he fails to prove his allegations,” said Kharge, adding that the Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha must apologise to him on behalf of Thakur.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju got up to say something but was interrupted by Trinamool Congress floor leader Derek O'Brien.

Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar then intervened and spoke about how important it was for the members to maintain decorum in the House. He also said that Samajwadi Party MP Ramji Lal Suman, despite having hurt popular sentiments by his remarks on Rana Sanga, refused to take back his comments.

Congress member Jairam Ramesh urged the Chairman to give Rijiju a chance to speak since the minister wanted to say something.

Kharge also stood up to speak but the Chairman, oblivious to the demand of the Opposition, started calling the names of members listed for reading Zero Hour notices.

In protest, all Opposition parties walked out of the House. Among the non-NDA parties, only Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose, member of YSRCP, was seen sitting in the House.