RS adjourns after clashes between Cong, BJP members

Rajya Sabha was today adjourned till 1200 noon following clashes between treasury benches and Opposition BJP which wanted suspension of Question Hour to discuss Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's alleged support to Maoists at her Lalgarh rally.

When the House met for the day, Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley said, "I have given a notice for suspension of Question Hour to discuss a matter of serious importance."

He was, however, not allowed to speak further by Congress members who demanded that the listed questions be taken up first.

The plea of members from the treasury benches was strongly opposed by S S Ahluwalia (BJP) who said Chairman Hamid Ansari had allowed Leader of the Opposition to speak and no one has the right to disrupt him.

As the two sides engaged in wordy duel, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Prithviraj Chavan rose to say something but was shouted down.

Ansari repeatedly asked the members to resume their seats so that Jaitley could make a statement but his pleas went unheeded.

The BJP wanted a statement from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Banerjee's rally yesterday where she allegedly supported Maoists.

"This is very unseemly," Ansari said before adjourning the House till 1200 hours.

Ahluwalia told reporters later that the BJP Parliamentary Party discussed the issue and decided that a notice be given for suspension of Question Hour in both Houses to discuss how a union minister was supporting Maoists.