Uproar in parliament over Moga incident

The incident of a 13-year-old girl in Moga in Punjab being molested and pushed out of a private bus leading to her death led to an uproar in parliament on Tuesday, with both houses witnessing adjournments over the issue.

In the Lok Sabha, Congress leader Amrinder Singh and Aam Aadmi Party's Bhagwant Maan moved adjournment motions to discuss the Moga case demanding suspension of the question hour but Speaker Sumitra Mahajan rejected the plea.

Singh said the Punjab government should be dismissed and President's rule imposed in the state.

Opposition MPs created ruckus, displaying placards and raising slogans against the Parkash Singh Badal government in the state, forcing two adjournments during the question hour.

Orbit transport company which operated the bus is owned by Punjab's Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Members from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), meanwhile, protested demanding a separate high court for the state of Telangana.

The scene was no different when the house met again, and amid the din, the speaker was forced to adjourn the house till 2 p.m.

In the Rajya Sabha, the issue forced two adjournments during Zero Hour.

As soon as the house met, Congress leader Ambika Soni raised the issue.

"There is a complete breakdown of law and order in Punjab... the Centre must intervene," she said.

Congress leader Anand Sharma joined her and said the issue is "very serious" and the house should condemn the incident.

Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien, however, said no notice was given to the chair for taking up the issue.

"I am not saying anything about merit of what you are saying. All I have said is, please give notice," Kurien said.

Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury urged the chair to allow the matter as it was important.

"Because of the importance of the incident, please allow us to discuss," Yechury said.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the state government has taken immediate action against the culprits and it was not proper to discuss the working of state governments in the house.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, meanwhile, demanded imposition of President's rule in Punjab.

However, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) members opposed taking up of the issue for discussion in the house.

Amid the ruckus, Kurien adjourned the house for ten minutes. When the house met again, similar scene were repeated and the chair adjourned the house till 12 noon.