Telangana, death of Arunachal youth dominate Lok Sabha proceedings

Telangana and the death of a youth from Arunachal Pradesh Wednesday dominated the proceedings of the Lok Sabha, which was adjourned for the day after members from Andhra Pradesh created ruckus over the proposed bifurcation of the state.

As soon as the house met on the first day of the final sitting of the 15th Lok Sabha, noisy scenes were witnessed with members from Andhra Pradesh protesting over the Telangana issue -- some in favour of the proposed state and others against it.

While Seemandhra members carried placards hailing a united Andhra Pradesh, Telangana members shouted slogans demanding the early creation of the separate state.

The government has announced that the bill to create a separate Telangana would be introduced in the current session of parliament.

Shiromani Akali Dal members also protested against the Congress over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Speaker Meira Kumar repeatedly appealed to members to maintain calm but no one paid heed.

She first adjourned the house till noon and later for the day.

Before being adjourned for the day, the Lok Sabha members expressed concern over the death here of a youth from Arunachal Pradesh, with Meira Kumar saying the entire house was "one in protecting children from the northeast".

Responding to concerns of members on the death of 19-year-old Nido Tania last week, Meira Kumar said the entire house should condemn the incident.

"A clear message should go that parliament of India, members of Lok Sabha are one in protecting children and people of the northeast. We should send this message everywhere," she said.

Tania, son of an Arunachal Pradesh legislator, was beaten up by shopkeepers in a south Delhi market following a quarrel over his appearance and clothing. He died in a hospital Jan 30. The victim's friends say it was a racial attack.

Raising the matter, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushma Swaraj said Tania died following a quarrel after being taunted on his hair style.

"I want to raise an issue with great pain ... the death of a youth from the northeast that shamed us," Swaraj said.

She said two women from Manipur had also been molested in the national capital.

Taking a dig at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, Swaraj said they participated in protest by students from northeast when they should have been taking action to book those responsible for Tania's death.

Minister of State for Minority Affairs Ninong Ering said the issue was not political.

Ering said he had given a notice for suspension of question hour but withdrew it after a word with the speaker.

The minister said that "racial discrimination" suffered by students of the northeast was a serious issue.

"A strong law should be passed so that such incidents were not repeated in the future," Ering said.

Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav said the entire house should condemn the incident.

Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Basudeb Acharia said the incident was nothing but "racial discrimination".