RS adjourned till tomorrow following pandemonium on Nandigram

New Delhi, Nov 19 (UNI) The Rajya Sabha was today adjourned for the second time till tomorrow following pandemonium on Nandigram killings.

As soon as the House assembled at 1200 hours, Opposition BJP and Trinamool Congress members trooped into the well of the House demanding that the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government be dismissed.

They were shouting slogans like 'UPA ka kabristan--Nandigram, Nandigram', 'Killers of democracy--down, down' and 'Left parties down down.' Despite repeated requests from Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan they refused to go back to their seats and continued shouting slogans.

Even though nothing could be heard in the din, Mr Khan directed that various papers related to different ministries to be laid down in the House and listed business to continue.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition made a statement in the House condoling the loss of lives and property in neighbouring Bangladesh in the recent cyclone and offered humanitarian assistance to the affected people.

He said India would provide essential food items, tents, medicines and first aid kits to Bangladesh where over 2300 people were killed and thousands became homeless in the recent cyclone. The cyclone had affected 2.7 million people and thousands of livestock was also killed.

Following the statement of Mr Mukherjee, Trinamool Congress leader Dinesh Trivedi stood up and demanded that the government must also share the grief and distress of the displaced people of Nandigram who were facing atrocities from the CPI(M) cadre.

However, Mr Khan asked him to sit and permitted Leader of Opposition Jaswant Singh to make a statement on the Bangladesh issue. Mr Singh also shared the concern of the government over the recent natural calamity faced by Bangladesh government and said that the people of India and Parliament were there with them in this need of hour.

However, the government must also share the grief of the people of this country especially Nandigram like it has done for those of Bangladesh and take steps, he added.

Following this, Mr Khan adjourned the house till tomorrow.

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