Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm over Shivakumar’s ‘Constitution changing’ remarks

Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned until 2 pm today following Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s remarks about the “constitution changing” in relation to the state’s decision to grant a four per cent quota to Muslims in government contracts.

Ruling BJP members disrupted proceedings in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, with the parliamentary affairs minister demanding Shivakumar’s dismissal for his remarks.

In both houses, BJP members raised the issue, leading to adjournments.

Shivakumar made the remarks during a television channel event while defending the Muslim quota in Karnataka.

BJP leaders accused the Congress government of Karnataka of practising appeasement politics.

Congress leaders countered, saying the ruling party’s actions in forcing an adjournment over a state issue were unprecedented and aimed at diverting attention from the ongoing inquiry into the recovery of burnt cash piles from the residence of Delhi High Court Judge Yashwant Varma.

“Today, the BJP came up with a completely FAKE issue to get Parliament adjourned so that the very serious issue of Justice Yashwant Varma’s conduct does NOT get discussed,” said Congress general secretary and Rajya Sabha chief whip Jairam Ramesh on X.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also criticised the disruptions, saying Parliament was being rendered irrelevant.

“It is utterly shocking when you see that the ruling party, essentially the Government whose responsibility it is to run the House, has chosen to disrupt the Parliament in this way. It is deeply disappointing. To my mind, the issue they have raised is also irrelevant because it is State subject...It has nothing to do with the Central Parliament. Why are they trying to disrupt the House on the basis of that? Honestly, we are reducing Parliament to a farce. If we don’t function properly, why will the voters want to entrust their precious tax money to running this institution which we used to hail as the temple of democracy? If instead of prayers here, we are having shouting matches, it’s really a disappointment,” Tharoor said.