Parliament adjourned as Oppn targets Modi

NEW DELHI: The Monsoon Session of Parliament began on a stormy note on Monday as the Opposition, protesting over a host of issues including the farm laws and fuel price hike, prevented Prime Minister Narendra Modi from introducing newly-inducted Union ministers, which is a customary practice.

The disruption by opposition members drew sharp criticism from Modi who accused them of being unable to digest the fact that a large number of new ministers are women, Dalits, tribals and those from other backward classes.

Modi on July 7 inducted 36 new faces into his council of ministers and promoted seven junior ministers (to independent or Cabinet roles), in his biggest reshuffle ever in the past seven years, and the first major one of his second term.

The prime minister said he expected members of the House to show enthusiasm by thumping their desks to welcome the ministers, most of whom have come from backward and rural backgrounds with many being children of farmers.

“However, probably, some people did not like that people of such background have

It is an occasion where children of farmers are being introduced in the House. Women ministers and ministers from SC/ST and Adivasi communities are being introduced… But some people do not want ministers to be introduced. They also have an anti-woman mindset. Perhaps some people are not happy if the country's women, OBCS, farmers' sons become

Ministers: PM Modi

become ministers and that is why they are now conducting themselves in such a manner,” Modi said in the Lok Sabha.

In the Rajya Sabha, too, opposition members, some of them in the Well, raised slogans forcing repeated adjournments.

Expressing anguish over the conduct of the protesting opposition members, Modi questioned their mentality behind their behaviour of not allowing him to introduce women, Dalit and scheduled tribe MPS who have been made ministers.

He said a number of women, Dalit and those belonging to

scheduled tribes have been made Union ministers, but some opposition members do not want to hear their names and give them the due honour.

“What is this mentality?,” he wondered and said it was for the first time he has seen this in the House.

As the opposition members continued their uproar, Modi laid the list of newly-inducted ministers on the table of the House. The new Leader of the House and Union minister Piyush Goyal said it was a tradition since the times of first prime