Telangana issue disrupts Parliament

Telangana issue Wednesday disrupted Parliament on the first day of the last session of current Lok Sabha, leading to adjournment of both Houses till noon.

MPs from Seemandhra region, cutting across parties, stormed the Well of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as soon as they assembled for the day.

They carried placards saying 'Jai Samaikya Andhra Pradesh' (hail united Andhra Pradesh). The government has announced that it will take up the Bill to carve out a separate Telangana state from Andhra Pradesh.

In the Lok Sabha, some members mentioned the death of a student from North East in Delhi with Left MPs demanding action against the culprits. They carried posters saying 'Stop racial discrimination against North Eastern people'.

Shiromani Akali Dal members utilised the occasion to target Congress on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the wake of renewed controversy on the issue following a television interview by Rahul Gandhi. They wanted day-to-day trial of pending cases against Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler.

Speaker Meira Kumar repeatedly appealed to members to maintain calm and allow smooth conduct of the House, reminding them that it was the last session of the 15th Lok Sabha. As her pleas went unheeded, she adjourned the House till noon.

Earlier, the House condoled the demise of four former members  M M Hashim, P K Ghosh, Deepak Kumar and Pius Tirkey. Death and killings of people in various accidents, including the boat tragedy in Andaman, and terror attacks in Russia were also condoled.

The session, which began today, is the second phase of the Winter Session of Parliament. It is set to conclude on February 21.

Soon after Chairman Hamid Ansari made obituary references in Rajya Sabha, two TDP members and another of Congress from Seemandhra trooped into the Well opposing bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. They carried placards saying Save Andhra Pradesh and We Want United Andhra Pradesh.

AIADMK members led by V Maitreyan were on their feet on the additional evidence coming to light about alleged roles of DMK Chief M Karunanidhi, his daughter Kanimozhi and a top police officer of Tamil Nadu in the 2G spectrum scam.

Maitreyan displayed a CD (compact disc), but what he said could not be heard in the din.BJP members raised the issue of racist attack on a student from the North East in Delhi, while SAD members displayed banners seeking day-to-day hearing in court on the alleged role of Congress leaders in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Samajwadi Party members too were on their feet, but what they were saying was drowned in the din. With members unrelenting, Ansari adjourned the House till noon.

Earlier, the House condoled the death of former members Mulka Govinda Reddy, M M Hashim and Manmohan Mathur.

Ansari also mentioned the death of 26 passengers when an airconditioned coach of Bangalore-Nanded express caught fire on December 28 and of 27 passengers in a bus accident in Maharashtra on January 2. He also referred to the boat tragedy in Andaman among some other mishaps.

He congratulated scientists and engineers of ISRO for the successful launch of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-D5), powered by an indigenous cryogenic engine on January 5.
-PTI