Lok Sabha adjourned again on disqualification issue

New Delhi, Mar 22 (UNI) Members of Samajwadi Party (SP) and the BJP today created furore in the Lok Sabha in protest against the centre's move to protect UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and other senior leaders from disqualifaction from Parliament for holding offices of profit, forcing its adjournment three times.

As soon as the house assembled at 1300 hrs, the SP members were on their feet, citing a press report that the government has finalised a draft bill seeking to amend Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1959 to exempt a fresh batches of offices, including chairpersons of the National Advisory Council and the Indian Council of Cultural Relations chairperson -- held by UPA chaiperson Ms Gandhi and Karan Singh and heads of state development boards and textile boards from being deemed 'offices of profit.' They soon rushed to the well of the house and staged a slogan shouting demonstration, forcing Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to adjourn the house for 15 minutes and then till 1300 hrs.

When the house reassembled at 1300 hrs, the SP mmbers again rushed to the well of the house. However, Deputy Speaker Charnjit Singh Atwal asked them to return their seats and called Leader of Opposition L K Advani to speak.

Mr Advani said there was a move to adjourn the house sine die today so that the government could issue an ordinance giving effect to its move to shield Ms Gandhi and others from disqualifaction, as in the case of SP Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan.

When the chair called Leader of the House and Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee to give his views on the issue, the SP members rushed to the well of the house.

Mr Mukherjee, however, yielded to SP Parliamentary group leader Ram Gopal, who came down heavily on Election Commissioner Navin Chawla for his recommendation to the President to disqualify Ms Jaya Bachchan for holding the post of Chairperson of UP Film Development Council.

He said Mr Chawla was an officer against whom the Shah Commission, which inquired into excesses during emergency, had condemned his behaviour and said that he should not be given any post of responsibility. ''He is a person who can bulldoze any institution,'' he said.

Prof Ram Gopal said the action against Ms Bachchan was unprecedented, and Mr Chawla should be recalled.

When CPI(M) member Mohammed Salim was speaking, trouble erupted again with the SP members rushing to the well and shouting slongans in the company of the BJP members.

During the melee, Minister of State for Personnel Suresh Pachouri introduced The Delhi Special Police Establishment Bill, 2006. The bill was passed by voice vote amid the din.

Following this, the chair announced adjournment of the house till 1500 hrs.

UNI SH VD GC1412