NEW DELHI : The desecration of an Ambedkar statue in Kanpur and the detention of Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh in Kolkata led to noisy scenes in Parliament. While the Opposition forced early closure of the day in the Rajya Sabha, the National Democratic Alliance walked out of the post-lunch session of the Lok Sabha and stayed away for the rest of the day.

Trouble started as soon as both Houses convened for the day. In the Rajya Sabha, Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati led her party colleagues into the well demanding a Central probe into last week's desecration of the statue. She also demanded that the alleged torture of a Dalit by the Uttar Pradesh Police be referred to the National Human Rights Commission.

The demand for a Central probe and imposition of President's rule in the State was supported by the Congress but opposed by Amar Singh, who said, "today it is U.P. Tomorrow it may be some other State."

The BSP was joined in the well by BJP members, who protested against the detention of Mr. Rajnath Singh earlier in the day. He was on his way to Singur, where the West Bengal Government has decided to hand over farmland to the Tatas for a car project.

BSP walks out

While Left members led by Brinda Karat (CPI - M) objected to the BJP's remarks, the increasing turmoil led to an adjournment 20 minutes before the lunch recess. By then, the BSP had walked out.

When the House reassembled after lunch, the BJP members continued with their protests and demanded that they be allowed to speak on the detention of their party president. The CPI (M) members countered them. After trying to restore order for nearly 10 minutes, Deputy Chairman Rehman Khan adjourned it for the day, observing that members did not appear serious about running the House. Amid the chaos, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad tabled a statement on Supplementary Demands for Grants (Railways) for 2006-07.

In the Lok Sabha, BJP members picketed the well for close to an hour, shouting slogans against the West Bengal Government for detaining Mr. Rajnath Singh. Though they raised the matter immediately after question hour, the BJP members withdrew for a while to allow Mr. Prasad make a statement on the Bhagalpur bridge collapse.

When the Speaker returned to business, the BJP members trooped into the well, maintaining the siege until the lunch recess was called even though it was decided earlier that the House would sit without a break.

Through the din, a discussion on price rise was wrapped up with Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar's reply.

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