Afzal Guru, Sri Lanka protests mar President's address

Protests over the hanging of Afzal Guru and alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka marred President Pranab Mukherjee's speech in Parliament on Thursday.

As Mukherjee was speaking at the start of the budget session, GN Ratanpuri of the National Conference got up and raised the issue of Afzal Guru's hanging in New Delhi on February 9.

Meanwhile, members of the DMK, AIADMK and MDMK shouted that India should vote against Sri Lanka when a US-sponsored resolution is taken up at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva next month.

The interruptions were brief and drowned quickly as Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla and Minister of State V Narayanasamy urged the members to take their seats.