Date:21/11/2002 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2002/11/21/stories/2002112106770100.htm

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BSP, Samajwadi members clash in LS over U.P.

By Javed M. Ansari

NEW DELHI NOV. 20. The strong feelings on the political developments in Uttar Pradesh threatened to spill over to the Lok Sabha this morning as a senior BSP MP, Rashid Alvi, was pushed around by a Samajawadi Party MP, Devendra Singh Yadav.

Timely intervention by senior Ministers, Pramod Mahajan and Yashwant Sinha, prevented the situation from deteriorating further.

During question hour, the Samajwadi Party MPs sought the dismissal of the U.P. Governor, Vishnu Kant Shastri, for his refusal to direct the Chief Minister, Mayawati, to prove her strength on the floor of the Assembly.

As the SP MPs continued to charge the Chief Minister with resorting to strong arm tactics and taking the help of criminals to shore up her Government, Mr. Alvi rose to his leader's defence.

In the ensuing din, the BSP member countered their charge saying that the SP was full of criminals.

Incensed by this, Mr. Yadav moved menacingly towards Mr. Alvi and pushed him. Within minutes other BSP members rushed to Mr. Alvi's help.

Sensing the situation taking an ugly turn, Mr Mahajan and Mr. Sinha rushed to separate the two sides.

The Speaker, Manohar Joshi, pulled up Mr. Yadav, saying that "his behaviour had lowered the prestige of the House".

He was particularly pained that the incident occurred in the presence of a parliamentary delegation from Canada, which was witnessing the proceedings from the special gallery reserved for visiting parliamentary delegations.