The incident led to commotion in the House and triggered a war of words outside between the Congress and its outside ally Samajwadi Party, which is strongly opposed to reservation in promotion for SCs and STs in government jobs.
However, unfazed by the protest from an isolated SP, the third of its kind in Parliament, government pledged to move the bill for consideration in the House tomorrow.
The action of SP member Yashveer Singh, representing Nagina reserved constituency in Uttar Pradesh, came when Minister of State for Personnel Narayanasamy was moving the bill for consideration from the second row.
Shocked by Singh's action, Gandhi, who sits in the front row, and some Congress members immediately came to the Well of the House to stop Singh.
A scuffle-like situation ensued as Congress members including K Bapiraju and Vilas Muttemwar rushed to the Well.
Singh had, meanwhile, passed on the bill to his party colleague Neeraj Shekhar but it fell down in the commotion created by his party members who were already in the Well in strength vociferously protesting against taking up the measure.
A verbal spat followed between the Congress and SP member and a shocked Speaker Meira Kumar abruptly adjourned the House for the day.
Amid the melee, several Congress members threw a protecting ring around Gandhi, who was being questioned by SP members for thwarting Singh.
Snatching and tearing of a bill from a minister's hand took place for the first in 1997 when a member of the ruling United Front coalition snatched the women's reservation bill from the then Prime Minister in the Lok Sabha. The second was also in similar circumstances a few years ago. (More)PTI TGB SKU ARC RC SPG
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