Nandigram issue rocks Parliament again

New Delhi, Mar 19 (UNI) Nandigram violence continued to rock both Houses of Parliament today.

The Rajya Sabha passed three major Bills amid din in post-lunch session.

Both the Houses were first adjourned till 1200 hours as the Opposition vociferously demanded the dismissal of the Union Government and the West Bengal governments for the killing of 14 people and injuries to several others in police firing on Nandigram villagers protesting against the allotment of land for a SEZ.

As soon as the Lok Sabha reassembled at noon, the Opposition Members trooped into the well raising slogans, accusing the West Bengal government of 'murder' at Nandigram.

The House was adjourned for the day when the repeated assurances by Deputy Speaker Charanjit Atwal were ignored by the Opposition members. Three Bills--the National Tax Tribunal Bill, 2007, Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill and National Rural Employment Guarantee (Extension to Jammu and Kashmir) Bill, were, however, passed by the House amid slogan-shouting.

The Rajya Sabha which was adjourned twice over the Nandigram issue, witnessed a clash between members from BJP and Congress in the post lunch session.

When the House reassembled at 1400 hours, again the BJP members trooped into the well, insisting on their demands that the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government be dismissed. Amid slogan-shouting, Finance Minister P Chidambaram started reading out a statement on the debate on Budget. In the middle of his speech, BJP chief whip S S Ahluwalia went upto Mr Chidamabram, asking him not to read it out, instead lay it on the table of the House.

"He cannot read out the statement. We don't allow that. He should lay it on the table of the House," Mr Ahluwalia said.

As Mr Ahluwalia approached Mr Chidambaram, Congress members heckled and pushed him. Amid ruckus, the House passed the Appropriation Bill, and the Appropriation (Vote on account) Bill, 2007, the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2007 and the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2007 before the House was adjourned for ten minutes.

The situation was no different when the House reassembled as the BJP-led opposition continued slogan-shouting. In the uproar, Mr Chidamabram strongly condemning the BJP attitude, however completed his statement before the House was adjourned for the day at 1430 hours.

Editors: here pick up from earlier series.

UNI