The Lok Sabha on Wednesday will discuss the communal violence in Delhi that has claimed at least 53 lives last month after a tumultuous start to the second phase of the Budget Session. On March 3, the Centre had agreed to discuss the violence in North East Delhi after the Holi break following repeated disruptions in both Houses of Parliament.

The discussions will be conducted under Rule 193 of the House proceedings, which means there will be no voting after the debate, reported IANS. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to reply on the discussion over the violence in Lok Sabha around 5.30 pm, subject to functioning of the house, according to ANI.

The Rajya Sabha is also expected to deliberate on the law and order situation in the national Capital. In the Upper House, the Trinamool Congress has given notice for immediate talks under Rule 267 on “Delhi carnage and the healing process”. Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP KK Ragesh also gave a Suspension of Business Notice in Rajya Sabha under Rule 267. He cited “Centre’s attempt to suppress media by imposing the 48-hour ban on two Malayalam news channels” and communal violence in Delhi, reported ANI.


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The channels, Asianet News and Media One, were accused in the Centre’s ban order of “siding with one community”, alleging inaction by the police and for being critical of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in the coverage of last month’s violence in North East Delhi. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Saturday withdrew the 48-hour ban just hours after it was imposed late on Friday for their coverage of the communal violence in Delhi. Following this, the News Broadcasters Association expressed shock that the news channels were banned without the knowledge of Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar.

Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma submitted a Suspension of Business Notice in the Rajya Sabha citing “need to provide relief to riot-affected families in Delhi and setting up of an independent inquiry commission”.

On March 6, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said a committee will be constituted to investigate the disruption of House proceedings between March 2 and March 5. The committee will be headed by Birla and representatives from multiple parties will be part of it. This came a day after the Speaker suspended seven Congress MPs from attending Lok Sabha on the remaining days of the Budget Session for disrupting the House. The leaders who were suspended on charges of gross misconduct were Gaurav Gogoi, TN Prathapan, Dean Kuriakose, R Unnithan, Manickam Tagore, Benny Behnan and Gurjeet Singh Aujla.