Fisticuffs, pepper spraying marks tabling of Telangana bill in Lok Sabha

Unprecedented pandemonium marked by fisticuffs, pepper spraying and breaking of mike was today witnessed in Lok Sabha as the government introduced the controversial Telangana bill.

Hell broke loose in the House with members feeling suffocated and seen coughing after expelled Congress MP L Rajagopal resorted to spraying of pepper to prevent introduction of the bill that provides for bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. The spray, generally used by women to fend off eve-teasers, was used to lethal effect in the Well of the House as Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde introduced the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill amid vociferous protests by members from Seemandhra.

The impact of the spray was such that an unspecified number of members were rushed to hospitals after at least four ambulances were pressed into service.

Some members were seen coming out of the House with watery eyes and seemed to be suffocating. The Well of the Lok Sabha turned into a battle ground as fisticuffs broke out between members from Seemandhra and others, including Raj Babbar, Azharuddin, Lal Singh (all Cong) and Saugata Roy (TMC), who wanted to prevent disruptions in the House.

M Venugopal Reddy (TDP) first damaged a mike on the table of Secretary General and later snatched papers from the Speaker's podium, while Rajagopal broke the glass on the table and used the pepper spray.