Jaipur, Feb 24 (PTI) The Rajasthan Assembly was adjourned four times on Monday amid a continuing stalemate over minister Avinash Gehlot's remark against former prime minister Indira Gandhi and the suspension of six Congress MLAs.

The Congress held a massive protest near the assembly building, demanding Gehlot's apology and revocation of the MLAs' suspension.

In the assembly, several rounds of talks were held in the chamber of Speaker Vasudev Devnani to end the deadlock.

The deadlock, however, could not be broken in the House as Speaker Devnani and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel expressed dissatisfaction with the statement of suspended Congress MLA Govind Singh Dotasra.

Later, the opposition Congress boycotted the day's proceedings.

After three adjournments, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel and others held a meeting with the Congress MLAs to resolve the issue and reached a consensus to end the deadlock.

However, when the House reconvened, the stalemate continued as both Devnani and Patel expressed dissatisfaction with the response of Dotasra, the Congress' state chief.

Patel said Dotasra should tender an apology for his conduct in the House but the state Congress chief insisted that Gehlot must apologise first.

Expressing dissatisfaction with Dotasra's response, the speaker adjourned the proceedings for a fourth time for 30 minutes.

When the House reconvened and the speaker started a debate on the budget, the Congress MLAs began to protest in the Well of the House.

The speaker called marshals inside who surrounded his dais.

Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully demanded that the House be adjourned for another half an hour so that discussions could be held but Parliamentary Affairs Minister Patel said the opposition was given ample opportunities but one member remained adamant, referring to Dotasra.

The deadlock could not be ended because of him, Patel said.

The Congress MLAs then boycotted the House for the day.

When the House reassembled after the third adjournment, the Congress MLAs, except the six suspended legislators, had returned to their seats.

Jully said that whatever happened in the House was unfortunate and urged the speaker to give a ruling so that the deadlock could be broken.

Congress MLA Rajendra Pareek said there had been a tradition of dialogue during deadlocks while Patel said the impasse was not good.

The speaker then called Dotasra inside the House and asked him to speak on the matter.

Dotasra said whatever happened in the House on February 21 after Gehlot's remark on Indira Gandhi was disrespectful and unfortunate and added such things should not happen.

Acknowledging that he and other legislators had reached the bench in front of the speaker's dais, he expressed regret over the episode.

However, the speaker said Dotasra had not apologised for his conduct.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Patel also said Dotasra should say in the House what was decided in the meeting.

The treasury wanted an apology from Dotasra for his specific conduct while the Congress MLA expressed regret over the entire episode, starting with the minister's remark.

Dotasra said the issue began with Gehlot's remark and he should first apologise for his comments.

"I will first listen to what the minister says. I will say (sorry) only after that," he said.

Patel said Dotasra had in the meeting clearly agreed to express regret but was not doing that, which was an "insult" to the House.

After this, the speaker adjourned the House for 30 minutes.

During the adjournment, another meeting was held in the speaker's chamber but the stalemate continued.

Earlier, amid slogan shouting by Congress members, the House witnessed three adjournments.

During this, all six suspended Congress MLAs were present in the House as Question Hour began.

The speaker asked the suspended members to leave but they continued to protest, leading to an adjournment till 12 noon.

When the House reassembled, the Congress MLAs continued their protest. The speaker again adjourned the House till 1 pm and called marshals to evict the suspended MLAs.

However, the suspended MLAs refused to leave.

When the House reassembled at 1 pm, similar scenes were witnessed, leading to Chairperson Phool Singh adjourning the proceedings till 2 pm.

Outside the assembly, Congress leaders and workers holding a protest were held back by police barricades.

Congress MLAs had been holding a sit-in in the House since February 21 over Gehlot's remark against Indira Gandhi.

During Question Hour on February 21, the social justice and empowerment minister had pointed to the opposition and said, "In the 2023-24 budget also, like always, you named the scheme (on working women's hostels) after your 'dadi (grandmother)' Indira Gandhi." The remark had triggered an uproar, leading to three adjournments and the suspension of six Congress MLAs.

The suspended Congress MLAs are Dotasara, Ramkesh Meena, Amin Kagzi, Jakir Hussain, Hakam Ali and Sanjay Kumar. PTI SDA SZM SZM