BJP says ugly scenes in L S 'shameful and unfortunate'

New Delhi, Mar 13 (UNI) Terming a clash between Left an DMK members in the Lok Sabha before the introduction of Indian Maritime University Bill, 2007, today ''shameful and unfortunate'', the BJP said that the ''helpless Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and inactive Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Dasmunsi'' should share the ''blame''.

Condemning the scuffle in the Lok Sabha, BJP Parliamentary Party Spokesperson Sushma Swaraj said she could understand that there were different perceptions among the coalition partners on issues but that does not mean it should go to the extent of engaging in physical duel.

She said it was a ''blackest day'' in Parliament that the Marshall staff had to come to the rescue of Minister for surface and Transport minister when T R Baalu Left MPs gheraoed him opposing the location of the Maritime University. The conduct of the UPA was in total contrast with the NDA headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee which had run the coalition government for six long years, she said. ''The conduct, of the UPA is an example how not to run a coalition,'' she remarked.

Ms Swaraj said the Parliamentary Affairs Minister's main task is to resolve such contentious issues acting from behind the scenes, but he had little or no time to solve such problems. ''The helplessness of the Prime Minister'' now gets highlighted by such incidents, Ms Swaraj, herself a former Parliamentary Affairs Minister in the NDA coalition said.

Regarding the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting, she said the MPs resolved to raise the issue of extortion racket in North-East wherein the officials and ministers were obliged to paid the extortionists. The National Security Adviser has confirmed the existance of such a racket and this was not enough unless followed up decisive action she asserted.

The party would also raise the issue of losses caused by untimely rains in the northern states, she added.

UNI