ND: RS adjourned over Lalu's comment

New Delhi, Mar 14: The Rajya Sabha was ajourned twice today following pandemonium as the opposition strongly protested Rail Minister Lalu Prasad's comment on ''extortion'' during the previous NDA regime.

The upper house was first adjourned for 15 minutes and then again for half-an-hour as the opposition members were on their feet, demanding that the Rail Minister withdraw his charge of corruption against the previous NDA government.

Mr Prasad's comment during the reply to the debate on the Rail Budget that ''though sufficient loading was done, it was shown to be underweight as money was extorted'', enraged the BJP members who demanded that since the Minister was making a grave charge he should substantiate his allegation or withdraw it.

BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said being a minister, Mr Prasad not indulge in making a general comment but specify and prove his ''grave charge''.

Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan tried to pacify the opposition and said he could not direct the Minister on what to say in his reply or how to answer the debate unless ''unparliamentary'' language was used. However, the BJP members were not satisfied and expressed their anger against the ''charge against the previous railway minister Nitish Kumar''.

BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said the Minister had used colloquial language and made a specific charge of corruption and bribe against Mr Kumar and was now bound to specify and substantiate his allegation.

UNI