RS adjourned twice over Guj incidents

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 twice following pandemonium with the BJP demanding a discussion on the Kashmir issue while the ruling Congress remained firm that a debate on the Gujarat fake encounters must be held first.

As soon as the House reassembled at 1300 hrs, Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan allowed Leader of the Opposition Jaswant Singh to speak but the Congress members again insisted that the Gujarat debate must take place first.

Both the Treasury Benches and the opposition kept to their feet demanding their debate must get precedence.

Amid the uproar, nothing could be heard. Ultimately, the Deputy Chairman adjourned the House till 1400 hrs.

Earlier during the Zero Hour, 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.

However, when the ruling party members refused to heed to his repeated pleas, he adjourned the House till 1300 hrs.

Eds: Here pick up suitably from PAR 9 ADJOURNED TWO LAST RS.

UNI