Parliament disrupted over coal blocks allocation

Both houses of parliament were repeatedly disrupted Monday as the BJP persisted with its demand for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's resignation over irregularities in the allocation of coal blocks and other issues.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned minutes after the day's proceedings began at 11 a.m. as Bharatiya Janata Party members advanced to the speaker's podium demanding the prime minister's resignation. It also demanded the resignations of Law Minister Ashwani Kumar and Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal.

Other parties also took up issues concerning them.

While the Akali Dal wanted a special probe into the 1984 riots, the Samajwadi Party wanted implementation of the Sachar panel report on Muslims.

Speaker Meira Kumar's efforts to calm BJP members proved futile and she adjourned the house till 12 noon. The scene was similar when the house met and Girija Vyas, who was in the chair, adjourned the house till 2 p.m.

After that, Deputy Speaker Kariya Munda adjourned the house till 3 p.m.

The scene in the Rajya Sabha was similar with BJP members shouting slogans against the prime minister.

Amid the pandemonium, Chairman Hamid Ansari adjourned the house till noon. The chair later adjourned the house till 2 p.m. and later for the day.

Both houses have seen repeated disruptions by opposition parties over the allocation of coal blocks and 2G spectrum. The BJP has said it will not let parliament function till Manmohan Singh resigns over the alleged involvement of his office in irregularities in the allocation of the two resources.