Opposition interrupts Lalu's speech agitating on Bofors issue

New Delhi, Feb 26 (UNI) The Opposition NDA today disrupted the proceedings of the Lok Sabha, trooping into the well and shouting slogans against UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on the Bofors issue, as Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav presented the Railway Budget for 2007-08.

The BJP, Shiv Sena, BJD and the Samajwadi Party were protesting against the manner of handling the issue of detention of Italian businesman Ottavio Quattrocchi, main accused in the Bofors pay off scam, in Argentina.

Undeterred by the interruption caused by the Opposition, Mr Lalu Prasad continued to read out his Railway Budget speech. "Vipaksha kamchor hai, sunana nahi chahte" (the opposition shirks work and therefore does not want to listen), he said hitting out at the Opposition.

Having a dig at the Opposition, the Railway Minister said, ''we have brought a new thinking in the Railways which has resulted in the Railways making a profit of Rs 20,000 crores. Nai soch lai hain, iseeliyae ye ghabaraye haid (we have brought a new thinking and that is way they are scared.'' As soon as papers were laid in the House and Mr Prasad started reading out his speech, the Opposition trooped into the well of the House raising slogans against Mrs Sonia Gandhi linking her with issue of detention of Quattrocchi. Mr Prasad said since his Budget was poor oriented the Opposition does not want to listen.

UNI