Parliament adjourned over Nandigram violence

New Delhi, Mar 15 (UNI) Both the Houses of Parliament were today adjourned for the day as the BJP-led Opposition entered into heated exchanges with CPI(M) members over the Nandigram violence, in which at least 12 people were killed and many injured.

A belligerent Opposition trooped into the well in the Lok Sabha and noisy scenes were witnessed in the Rajya Sabha, demanding dismissal of the Buddhadeb Bhattacharya government in West Bengal, leaving the presiding officers with no option but to adjourn the Houses.

As soon as the Lok Sabha assembled, the agitated Opposition members were on their feet, shouting slogans, condemning indiscriminate firing on innocent villagers at Nandigram and demanding dismissal of the CPM government. The Treasury benches, however, merely watched the scene.

The Shiv Sena members wanted to know why Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, who is a CPM-member from West Bengal, was not in the Chair and demanded his presence.

As the furore continued, the House was adjourned till 1200 hours.

Similar scenes were witnessed when the House re-assembled at noon and Deputy Chairman Charnjit Singh Atwal adjourned the House first till 1230 hours, and later again till 1400 hours.

At 1400 hours, the House was adjourned finally for the day barely after a minute as a slogan shouting Opposition again trooped the well.

As soon as the Upper House assembled to take up the Question Hour, Leader of Opposition Jaswant Singh got up to raise the Nandigram issue, but was shouted down by CPI-M member Brinda Karat and her other colleagues as well as the Congress.

Ms Karat questioned the Chair as to why Mr Singh was being permitted to raise the issue in the House during Question Hour. Some members from the Treasury Benches demanded the Questions listed for the day be taken up. Din continued for five minutes compelling Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat to adjourn the House till noon.

The scene was no different when the Rajya Sabha re-assembled and the Chair was left with no option but to adjourn the House for the day.

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UNI