The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm as the second leg of the Budget session on Monday began amid commotion with BJP MPs demanding an apology from Congress scion Rahul Gandhi for his remarks in the United Kingdom (UK).

Ruckus erupted in the Lok Sabha as BJP leaders asked the Wayanad MP to apologize for his comments made during his speech in London leading to the Opposition storming the well of the House to protest.

Meanwhile, Congress President and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the BJP for demanding an apology from Gandhi for his remarks. Addressing the media after the commotion in the Parliament, Kharge claimed that there’s no place for democracy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule and rule is law is absent while central agencies are being “misused.”

Kharge accused the ruling BJP of running the country “like a dictatorship” where dissent is muffled, while they trumpet about patriotism and respect… “and then they talk about democracy.”

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He also accused cabinet minister Piyush Goyal of breaking the House rules. Kharge also claimed that the PM Modi had in the past “ridiculed” India abroad.

Earlier, the Congress chief led a protest march Parliament House complex to Vijay Chowk along with MPs of other opposition parties, including those of the BRS, Left parties and AAP, after the BJP accused Gandhi of “defaming India” by his remarks on democracy and demanded an apology from him.

Gandhi had recently alleged in London that the structures of Indian democracy are under “brutal attack” and there is a full-scale assault on the institutions of the country.

Talking to reporters, Kharge accused PM Modi of running the country like a “dictator”, abolishing rule of law and the ruling BJP of “crushing” democracy and muzzling dissent. He also alleged that the ruling dispensation is “suppressing” Opposition by “misusing” central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate, Central Bureau of Investigation, and others.

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Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Abdul Sattar has once again landed in controversy after his remarks on farmers ending their lives. The Sillod MP said farmers’ suicide is not a new issue and farmers have been committing suicide for many years.

While speaking to the reporter’s query about farmers’ suicide in his constituency, the Shiv Sena leader said the issue of farmer suicide is not new. Such incidents are happening for many years.

Sattar’s remarks came after his tour of the unseasonal rainfall-affected regions in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, his home district. He said suicides by farmers should not take place anywhere in Maharashtra but whatever damage has been done it’s done.

Sattar further said that he has told the Agriculture department officials and tehsildar to carry out the punchnama at the earliest. Sattar stated that it will ensure that no farmer is kept out of the crop damage relief. The final reports haven’t been submitted yet and any damage done will be incorporated in the final report, he added.

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According to the reports, at least two farmers committed suicide in his constituency, Sillod, in the Aurangabad district between March 3 and 12. Further, the police officials also claimed at least six agriculturists had ended their lives in Aurangabad district in the Marathwada region during the same period, prima facie due to indebtedness.

The Shiv Sena leader further said the state government has taken numerous initiatives for farmers. The government is giving them crop insurance for just one rupee, he added. In its maiden Budget tabled on March 9, the Eknath Shinde-BJP government has proposed a Rs 6,000 assistance to farmers and Re 1 crop insurance scheme.

This is not the first time Sattar has courted controversy due to his statements. Earlier, he used abusive words to describe MP and NCP leader Supriya Sule. His comments led to widespread protests from across political parties including the Congress and Shiv Sena.

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Bhagwant Mann led-government has taken a firm stand on the gun culture in Punjab as the Punjab government has cancelled 813 licenses in the state. As per the reports, the AAP government in Punjab has also reiterated the rules to be followed for carrying arms.

As per the reports, the crackdown by the state government in Punjab includes licenses from 87 from Ludhiana Rural, 48 licenses from Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, 10 from Gurdaspur, 84 from Faridkot, 199 from Pathankot, 47 from Hoshiapur, 6 from Kapurthala, 235 from SAS Kasba, and 16 from Sangrur.

Arms licenses of 27 people of Amritsar Commissionerate and 11 of Jalandhar Commissionerate have also been cancelled. The reports said that other districts in the state have also come under the radar in the crackdown.

The new stance by the Punjab Government comes after the recent killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala which left thousands in shock.

A total of 2,000 arms licenses have been cancelled so far by the AAP government in Punjab. The AAP government has also raised a caveat that random checking will also be carried out by the state administration.

The rules relayed by the Bhagwant Mann government highlighted that laws have to be followed to keep guns. As per the reports, the Punjab government said has directed the concerns that weapons won’t be carried or displayed in public functions, religious places, marriage ceremonies, or any other form of event in the state.

So far, 3,73,053 arms licenses have been issued in Punjab, and the new stance by the Punjab government comes as an aim to quell the number of arm license bearers. The Aam Aadmi Party also relayed that the new stance by the AAP government in Punjab is an effort to stop the prevailing glorification of gun culture in the state.

Punjabi Singer Sidhu Moosewala was also accused of promoting gun culture with his post on his social media. The gun culture displayed by the Singer sparked many debates, however, his murder also raised concerns about the ramifications of promoting gun culture.