Land bill debate: Trinamool, CPI(M) MPs exchange heated words

Lok Sabha today witnessed a verbal spat between agitating Trinamool Congress and CPI(M) MPs who nearly came to blows during the debate on Land Acquisition Bill, a hot political issue in West Bengal.

It all started when Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay, while participating in the debate on the measure, referred to incidents during acquisition of land in West Bengal's Nandigram and Singur for industries when the Left was in power.

CPI(M) MPs led by Ram Chandra Dome were seen protesting against Badyopadhyay, who said that many farmers agitating against forceful land acquisition died of bullets in Nandigram and Singur when then state Government applied a more than century old Land Acquisition Act, 1894, to acquire land.

Trinamool MPs led by Kalyan Banerjee and Saugata Roy countered the agitating CPI(M) MPs which led to a heated exchange of words between them.

Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, who moved the bill for consideration and passing, and Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office (PMO) V Narayanasamy managed to pacify the agitating MPs.

However, the situation again went out of control when CPI (M) leader Basudeb Acharia was invited for the debate.

Trinamool MPs including Banerjee and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar shouted at Acharia.

CPI(M) MPs including Dome, M B Rajesh and A Sampath reacted angrily towards the agitating MPs and the two sides nearly came to blows.

As angry exchange of words by both the sides continued, Ramesh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath, many veteran parliamentarians including SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav tried to pacify them.

'You people are making mockery of the House,' Francisco Sardinha, who was chairing the debate, said when the fight between both the sides continued.

When Kalyan Banerjee interrupted the speech by Acharia, Sardinha reminded him: 'Mr Banerjee, this is not West Bengal Assembly'.

While addressing the chair, Lalu Prasad Yadav said the Minister must reply at 7 PM and there is no point dragging the debate beyond that.