Crimes against marginalised groups should stop, says Derek O'brien

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad raised the issue of lynching in the Parliament on Wednesday. Listing the lynching incidents, Azad said the government may have given its backing to the miscreants. "Instances of lynching took place earlier as well. But nowadays, members of the ruling party or sangh parivaar are involved in these lynchings," Azad alleged. Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi responded to Azad saying the miscreants may not necessarily be gau rakshaks.

Taking up the issue of border disputes with China, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav said India was responsible for protecting Bhutan and Sikkim. He also said China is a bigger threat to India than Pakistan. The Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 2 pm.

A discussion on the recent lynchings and attacks on Dalits is underway in the Rajya Sabha, a day after BSP chief Mayawati resigned in protest against deputy chairman P J Kurien for asking her to cut short her speech on the alleged atrocities against Dalits. However, her three-page resignation letter will not be accepted as she did not follow House procedure. With her term coming to an end next April, the BSP chief is unlikely to get re-elected to the Rajya Sabha as her party doesn't have the required numbers to back her nomination.

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha was briefly adjourned after the Opposition created a ruckus during a discussion on the agrarian crisis. The Opposition has identified six issues to target the government with — lynchings, the standoff with China, farmer suicides, terror attack on Amarnath yatris, use of CBI and ED to "target" Opposition leaders and the effects of GST and demonetisation.