RS adjourned till tomorow after paying tribute to departed members

New Delhi, Nov 15 (UNI) The Rajya Sabha was adjourned on the opening day of the winter session today after paying tribute to sitting member Jana Krishnamurthy K and former members L M Singhvi, S R Bommai and Jagdish Prasda Mathur who passed away during the intersession.

As soon as the House assembled for the day, Chairman Hamid Ansari introduced the new Secretary General Vivek Kumar Agnihotri, and then read out the obituary references.

He said Krishnamurty, the former BJP president, who represented Gujarat in the House, was a very able Parliamentarian and a dedicated social and political worker, and the House had suffered a great loss in his death.

Krishnamurthy was elected to the Rajya Sabha in April 2002. He had also served as Union Minister for Law and Justice.

Recounting the services of former member L M Singhvi to the country's public life and art and literature, Mr Ansari said, in his death the House had lost an eminent jurist, a prolific author, a seasoned diplomat and a connoisseur of art and literature.

Singhvi represented Rajasthan in the House.

SR Bommai, the former Karnataka Chief Minister and Jajanat Dal president, who represented Orissa and Karnataka in the House, was described as an able Parliamentarian and an able administrator.

He had served as Union Minister for HRD and was Chairman of department related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology and Environment.

The Chairman described J P Mathur, who represented Uttar Pradesh in the House as a distinguished social worker and an able parliamentarian. He was one of the founder members of the BJP and was deputy leader and whip of the party in the House.

Anasri said the Secretary General would convey the deep sorrow of the House over the loss of the eminent members to their families.

He thereafter announced that the House was being adjourned till 1100 hrs tomorrow.

UNI