Uproar over US statement, RS adjourns for day

NEW DELHI: Parliament was thrown into turmoil on Thursday over the US statement that the nuclear deal would be scrapped if India carried out an atomic test, leading to repeated adjournments of both Houses.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day and the Lok Sabha twice in the pre-lunch sitting as opposition NDA and UNPA members vociferously raised the issue and stormed the well.

In the Upper House, they demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying he had "misled" the House.

"Stop speaking lies. Stop selling the country and save India," the UNPA members chanted.

In the Lok Sabha, Left parties joined the agitated members in expressing their anger.

TDP leader K Yerrannaidu said the Prime Minister should come to the House and explain the situation to the nation.

CPI-M leader Basudeb Acharia along with his party colleagues raised the issue and BJP Deputy Leader V K Malhotra too was on his toes.

Speaker Somnath Chatterjee did not allow suspension of Question Hour saying the members could raise the matter during Zero Hour and decried the behaviour of members.

He adjourned the House first for 30 minutes and then till lunch.

Similar scenes were witnessed in the Upper House as NDA members were on their feet demanding an apology from the Prime Minister.

The opposition attack was spearheaded by UNPA but the Left did not join it.

Chairman Hamid Ansari's repeated pleas to restore calm went unheeded and he adjourned the House first till 1200 hours and then for the day.

The Prime Minister was present in the House before the first adjournment.