RS adjourned till 1300 hrs as Cong demands debate on Guj, BJP on J

New Delhi, May 8 (UNI) The Gujarat fake encounters continued to disrupt the Rajya Sabha proceedings for the second day today as the House was adjourned till 1300 hours following pandemonium with the BJP demanding a discussion on the Kashmir issue while the ruling Congress remained firm for a debate on the Gujarat incidents to be held first.

As soon as the Zero Hour began, the BJP members demanded that the Leader of the Opposition Jaswant Singh be given a chance to speak first on the Kashmir issue where Lashkar-e-Toiba flag was hoisted for the first time on Indian territory.

However, the Congress members insisted that a debate on the Gujarat fake encounters take place first as it was of the utmost political importance.

Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat gave the ruling that Mr Singh be allowed to speak first as agreed at the 1030 hrs meeting with all the political parties at his chamber and wondered what had changed since that time in Gujarat that the ruling party could not wait for a few hours to hold the debate. He assured that once the Leader of the Opposition spoke on the Kashmir issue, both the Gujarat and the Nandigram issues would be taken up.

''What message are you giving that the Leader of the Oppposition cannot speak in the Rajya Sabha?'' Mr Shekhawat asked the Congress benches who kept on insisting for a discussion on the Gujarat issue first.

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