LS adjourns briefly over Maha-Ktk boundary dispute

Uproar over the Maharashtra- Karnataka boundary issue today led to brief adjournment of the Lok Sabha with Shiv Sena members storming the Well.

Led by its Deputy Leader Anandrao Adsul, Shiv Sena members displayed placards and raised slogans urging the Centre to immediately resolve the long-pending dispute.

Soon after the Lok Sabha assembled for the day, the members trooped into the Well raising slogan 'Belgaum Hamara Hai' (Belgaum is ours) and waving placards 'Prime Minister should intervene in Maharashtra-Karnataka Boundary Dispute'.

Shiv Sena members, including Ganesh Dudhgaonkar, Subhash Wankhede and Chandrakant Khaire also waved placards demanding the Centre should immediately resolve the dispute.

Some members from the Treasury Benches -- Supriya Sule and Sanjiv Naik (both NCP) and Nilesh Rane (Cong) were also seen on their feet with placards demanding Centre's intervention in resolving the dispute. BJP Deputy Leader Gopinath Munde was also seen standing in his seat.

Apparently perturbed over this, BJP members from Karnataka started raising counter-slogans and later trooped into the Well encouraged by senior party leader Ananth Kumar.

Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa was seen countering the Sena members.

Speaker Meira Kumar repeatedly sought to pacify the members and frowned upon their display of placards.

Home Minister P Chidambaram and Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee were present as also Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, a former Maharashtra Chief Minister.

In the din, BSP members, led by Dara Singh Chauhan, raised the issue of reported diversion of funds meant for SC/ST welfare schemes to the Commonwealth Games projects.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal and his deputy V Narayanasamy were seen pacifying the members.

The Speaker also assured the members that they would be allowed the raise the issue later.

With the members unrelenting, the Speaker adjourned the House for 30 minutes.