Mulayam issue rocks RS, House adjourned twice

New Delhi, Mar 2 (UNI) The Rajya Sabha did not transact any business during the pre-lunch session today as Samajwadi Party (SP) members protested and shouted slogans alleging misuse of the judiciary by the Centre against their party president and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The House was adjourned twice--first time 15 minutes after it assembled for the day, and second time till 1430 hrs after it re-assembled at 1200 hrs.

As soon as the House re-assembled at 1200 hrs after the first adjournment, SP members led by Mr Amar Singh, shouted slogans alleging the centre's high-handedness and misuse of the judiciary against the UP Chief Minister.

Some Congress members tried to shout them down, but the SP members marched into the well of the House shouting slogans.

The noise continued for about 10 minutes following which Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan adjourned the House till 1430 Hrs.

Earlier, the House was adjourned till 1200 hrs after the Samajwadi Party members disrupted its proceedings, alleging that the CBI and the judiciary were being misused by the UPA government against Mr Yadav.

They were referring to yesterday's order of the Supreme Court to CBI to make preliminary investigations into the allegation against Mr Yadav of having acquired assets disproportionate to his sources of income.

This is the fourth time since the House met for the Budget session last Friday that the House could not take up questions.

On three occasions earlier, it was the Quattrocchi issue that led to disruption of the proceedings.

As soon as the House assembled this morning, Samajwadi Party members, led by party general secretaries Amar Singh and Shahid Siddiqui, rose up and demanded that the issue be taken up first.

Shouting slogans against the Congress-led UPA government, they rushed into the well of the House. They were soon joined in by TDP and AIADMK members.

Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat ordered that the members' remarks be expunged from the record after his appeal to them to calm down fell on deaf ears.

There were heated exchanges with the treasury benches.

The noisy scene continued for about four minutes following which the Chairman ordered adjournment of the House till 1200 hrs.

UNI