LS adjourns twice over police action on BJP activists, Maha farmers

Agitated BJP, Shiv Sena and SP members made a common cause in the lok sabha on Wednesday on the issue of police firing on farmers in Maharashtra demanding immediate dismissal of the Congress-led government there.

The BJP members also shouted slogans denouncing the central government and, especially home minister P Chidambaram, over the police "brutality" against party workers in Delhi during their protests yesterday.

The twin issues and the members' vociferous slogan- shouting led to two adjournments, first till noon minutes after assembling and then till 2 PM.

The protestors carried photographs of the injured and placards calling for "dismissal of Maharashtra government" for the police firing on farmers.

Three people, including a woman and child, were reportedly killed in the firing near Pune, while in Delhi, about 40 Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha workers were injured in lathi-charge during a protest march to parliament against corruption and price rise.

RS adjourned for the day

Opposition BJP and Shiv Sena, supported by AIADMK and Akali Dal, today forced adjournment of the Rajya Sabha for the day, protesting police action against BJP workers in the national capital.

BJP members trooped into the well shouting slogans, 'lathi-goli ki sarkar, nahin chalegi' (government wielding lathis and firing bullets will not be tolerated).

They displayed large-sized photographs of wounded workers as also the banners against the government.

As the BJP members were protesting in the well, Shiv Sena, Akali Dal and AIADMK stood up in support.

The trouble began as soon as the house met for the day with BJP members shouting slogans against the police action against a rally by youth wing of the party here yesterday.

They also demanded resignation of home minister P Chidambaram.

As chairman Hamid Ansari took up the question hour, BJP members started the ruckus against alleged police brutality.

Ruling benches countered the slogan shouting by demanding that question hour be taken up. As the din continued, he adjourned the house till noon.

When the house met again, it was action replay. Deputy chairman K Rahman Khan pleaded for order even as BJP kept raising slogans.

In the din, Khan asked ministers to lay papers and called for resumption of the short duration discussion on sports minister Ajay Maken's statement regarding the Commonwealth Games which remained inconclusive yesterday.

The BJP and some other Opposition parties had slammed the government on the CAG report on CWG, but the government could not come out with its version as the house was adjourned.

Bedlam in Maha assembly over police lathicharge

Maharashtra legislative assembly witnessed uproarious scenes over the police firing in Pune district with opposition members stalling proceedings demanding immediate discussion on the matter and adjournment of the house for the day after the debate.

Leader of opposition Eknath Khadse moved a adjournment notice soon after the House assembled for the day demanding suspension of the Question Hour and taking up discussion on the issue.

Opposition members shouted slogans against the goverment calling it a "murderer" in wake of the firing which killed three persons who were protesting against release of Pavana dam water for drinking water to Pimpri-Chinchwad instead of irrigation in the Maval taluka.

The house had to be adjourned first for 20 minutes, then for half an hour and later for 15 minutes due to the ruckus.

Government agreed to a debate under the adjournment motion. Opposition members demanded adjournment for the House for the day after the debate. However, since the chair did not commit anything on this demand the slogan shouting continued.

After three adjournments, the debate finally began with Khadse initiating it. He demanded judicial probe into the incident and compensation of Rs five lakh for the dead and 50,000 for the injured along with free medical treatment. He also accused police of damaging vehicles of protesters.