LS adjourned during zero hour following disorder

New Delhi, Nov 27 (UNI) Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today adjourned the House at 1220 hrs till 1400 hrs following disorder during zero hour.

The trouble started immediately after the beginning of zero hour when the Speaker called Mr Atiq Ahamad (SP) to raise the urgent matter listed against his name.

Mr Ahamad said he was imprisoned in Maharashtra for attending a rally meant for minorities. He was detained on the basis of an IPS officer's report which the police official had submitted even though the Maharashtra government had not sought the official's views, he claimed.

The Speaker said he would look into the issue of his ''security''. While Mr Ahamad was raising the issue, several members from all sides were on their feet to express their views on the issue without the chair's permission.

Meanwhile, the Speaker called another member, Mr L Rajagopal (Cong), who raised the issue of warning signals on beedis in Andhra Pradesh on a law enacted during the TDP's rule.

At this, Dr M Jagannath and other TDP members rushed to the aisle trying to counter Mr Rajagopal. Even when this was happening, Mr Ahmad and Mr Raj Babbar (suspended SP member) were still on their feet airing their views. The Speaker ruled that nothing would go on record.

After warning the members on a couple of times that he would adjourn the House unless there was order, the Speaker carried out his threat as the unruly members failed to heed his pleas.

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