Houses stalled over graft, Assam violence

 Neither House worked after lunch owing to repeated adjournments and the ruling party and the Opposition clashed repeatedly. It was as if parties were looking for excuses not to let the two Houses function.

 The Dilip Singh Judeo tape controversy rocked the Rajya Sabha leading to adjournment for the day by noon, while the Lok Sabha adjourned for the day after two interruptions over the killing of Biharis in Assam.

 Angry members from Bihar stalled proceedings on the issue of violence against Biharis in Assam and trooping into the well demanded suspension of normal business and an immediate discussion.

 MPs attributed jumpiness of the parties to anxiety over election results to come tomorrow. The mood of Parliament was the surest indication that no one was certain about victory or defeat in the Assembly elections.

 In the Lok Sabha, as MPs from Bihar including Prabhunath Singh (Samata Party), expelled Samata Party member Raghunath Jha and Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav (Independent) were protesting against the killing of Biharis in Assam, Mohanbhai Delkar (Independent) sought speedy action against those responsible for the Daman bridge collapse in which 30 children were killed.

 Congress members including Adhir Ranjan Choudhury, Saiduzzaman and Madhusudan Mistri and Bhan Singh Bhaura (CPI) demanded discussion on corruption issues including the bribery case involving a former Union minister. Bedlam followed and in desperation Deputy Speaker PM Sayeed adjourned the House.

 Speaker Manohar Joshi had adjourned the House once earlier after Bihar MPs shouted slogans in the well on the killing of Biharis in Assam. MPs said not only were Biharis killed and their property looted, the police acted as silent spectators.

 Prabhunath Singh