Congress demands House to pay homage to people dying in cash queues

Around 100 people have allegedly died while standing in queues to withdraw money so far

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Friday rejected a demand by Congress to make an obituary reference to almost a "hundred people" who allegedly died while standing in queues to withdraw money after the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.

When the House assembled to take up the day's work, Speaker made an obituary reference to thousands of people who died due to the leakage of poisonous gas from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal in 1984 on the night of December 2-3. The reference was made on Friday- a day marking the 32nd anniversary of the gas tragedy.

After the House paid respect to the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge told the Speaker that a similar obituary reference should also be made to a "hundred people" who died while standing queues after the demonetisation.

While BJP members strongly protested Kharge's demand, the Speaker rejected it immediately.