Opposition stalls Parliament proceedings on N-deal

New Delhi, Sep 5 (UNI) The Opposition today stalled the proceedings of Parliament, demanding the constitution of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to go into the Indo-US nuclear deal and protesting against the setting up of a UPA-Left panel on the issue.

Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha virtually could not transact any business as agitated MPs got into the well of the two Houses and raised slogans on the deal.

The Rajya Sabha witnessed four adjournments, three within one hour in the morning and the fourth for the day at 1405 hrs, and the Lok Sabha three adjournments, first till 1130 hrs and then till 1500 hrs and subsequently for the day.

When the Rajya Sabha re-assembled at 1400 hrs after the third adjournment, the opposition members trooped into the well, shouting slogans.

Members of the BJP, AIADMK, TDP, Janata Dal (United) and Samajwadi Party shouted slogans like ''JPC lao, desh bachao (constitute JPC and save the country).'' Non-constitution of a JPC was an insult to Parliament and the country both, they maintained and charged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and the UPA government with selling the nation's interest.

Opposing the UPA-Left panel, they shouted slogans like ''UPA-Left ki yeh kaisi larayi, chor chor mausere bhai (What a fight between UPA and Left! Both are partners in the crime).'' Other slogans raised by them included ''undemocratic Congress party down down and undemocratic left parties down down.'' Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachauri and some other treasury bench members were seen trying to counter the opposition charges but nothing could be heard in the din.

Mr P J Kurien, who was in Chair, tried to restore order stating that this kind of behaviour was unbecoming of Parliamentarians.

However, when the members refused to heed his pleas, Mr Kurien adjourned the house till tomorrow.

Similar scenes were witnessed in the Lok Sabha. When the House re-assembled at 1500 hrs, Deputy Speaker Charnjit Singh Atwal asked the members to lay papers listed against their names.

Mr Prabhunath Singh (JD-U) said he had given notice for suspension of question hour and discussion on the nuclear deal. But the House was adjourned, denying the opposition a chance to state its viewpoint. It was now not proper to expect them to cooperate with the government for laying the papers and conducting the other business of the House, he added.

Mr Atwal rushed through with the introduction of a Bill for setting up an Airport Regulatory Authority, besides the tabling of the papers, amid slogan shouting, and subsequently adjourned the House for the day.

UNI