The Hindu : Members cross swords over Punjab, Bihar in LS

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 02, 2003

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Members cross swords over Punjab, Bihar in LS

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI AUG. 1. Heated exchanges, charges, counter-charges, and slogans marred proceedings in the Lok Sabha, forcing its adjournment ahead of the lunch break today.

The House plunged into turmoil as soon as the zero hour began.

The BJP and its allies exchanged heated words with the Congress over the raids conducted in the premises of Akali Dal leaders. Later the Samata Party and RJD MPs crossed swords over Bihar.

Trouble began as soon as zero hour started, with Vijay Kumar Malhotra (BJP) accusing the Congress Government in Punjab of unleashing a vendetta against its Akali Dal rivals. Mr. Malhotra charged the State police with repeatedly raiding the homes and properties of the Badal family in order to humiliate them.

``This is nothing but a systematic campaign to harass political opponents, but this is a game which both parties can play,'' he said.

Despite protests from the Congress benches, Mr. Malhotra said ``they are taking the help of Khalistani elements like Jagit Singh Chauhan, they have also patronised people like Bhindranwale.''

Countering this, the Congress member, Jagmeet Singh Brar, alleged that the Home Minister cleared Mr. Chauhan's passport. Defending the State Government's actions against the Akali leaders, Mr. Brar said ``the Akali leaders have looted the State''.

Madan Lal Khurana (BJP) accused the Punjab Chief Minister of being a ``defaulter, who owed the Excise Department crores of rupees''. Mr. Khurana claimed that he had documents to prove that. When challenged by the Congress MPs, he hesitated, leading to yet another heated exchange.

Barely had the Congress-BJP wrangle subsided, it was the turn of the Samata-RJD spat.

Ranjan Yadav (Independent), Prabhunath Singh (Samata), Devendra Prasad Yadav (JD-U) drew the attention of the House to the deteriorating law and order situation in Bihar.

They charged the State Government with harbouring anti-social elements and patronising criminals.

Mr. Prabhunath Singh alleged that the RJD leaders were protecting criminals. ``The RJD top brass is masterminding these events,'' he said. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and Kanti Singh (both RJD) objected and said that the matter was a State subject and could not be raised in Parliament.

They also found support from the Left parties. Somnath Chaterjee protested against the ``wrong'' precedents being set in the House.

``Members are given notices on matter of national importance but are not being heard, while State issues are allowed to be raised,'' he said.

However, the Samata MPs refused to relent and raised slogans against the State Government, forcing the Speaker, Manohar Joshi, to adjourn the House for lunch, ahead of schedule.

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