Parliament proceedings get washed out over Telangana

Row over Telangana statehood and the harassment of Tamil fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy rocked Parliament for the third day today, turning the first week of the extended Winter Session into a complete washout.

Three members in the Lok Sabha, including one from ruling Congress, gave notices of no-confidence motion against the government.

As soon as Lok Sabha met for the day, members from Andhra Pradesh cutting across party lines began shouting slogans for and against creation of Telangana and entered the Well.

The notices for no-confidence motion, given by the three members including G V Harsha Kumar of Congress, could not be taken up as Speaker Meira Kumar's repeated pleas to the agitated members went unheeded.

She said that since the House was not in order, she could not ascertain whether the notices had the support of the requisite 50 MPs. Two other members who gave the notice were M Venugopala Reddy (TDP) and M Raja Mohan Reddy (YSR Congress).

As the din continued, Kumar adjourned the House for the day in the afternoon. It was adjourned till noon when it had assembled for the day.

In the Rajya Sabha, an exasperated Chairman Hamid Ansari remarked, "For several days now, we have been in a situation where we are being forced to witness deviations of decorum of House when members rush into the Well.

"I wish to inform the members that this will now be reflected precisely in the proceedings of the House."

He said this after TDP members rushed into the Well carrying banners that read 'Save Andhra Pradesh' to oppose creation of Telangana. They were joined by DMK members with "Save Tamil Fishermen" banners.

The House was adjourned twice before lunch and then for the day a little after 2.30 PM amid similar scenes with TDP and AIADMK members in the Well, and BJP, AGP and others on their feet demanding discussions on AgustaWestland scam and the death of a northeast student in Delhi.

The disruptions in Parliament took place on a day when a special meeting of the Union Cabinet has on its agenda the bill on carving out Telangana -- an issue on which the state is sharply divided on regional lines.

Lok Sabha also saw Akali Dal members on their feet with placards protesting 1984 anti-Sikh riots and SP MPs in the Well demanding quota for 17 castes.