From Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi: Both houses of Parliament were adjourned on Wednesday amid noisy scenes after members raised an uproar over the Assam violence on the first day of the monsoon session.
In the Lok Sabha, the opposition BJP led National Democratic Alliance moved an adjournment motion on the ethnic violence in Assam that has claimed over 70 lives.
“The violence in Assam should not be seen as a communal incident. Let no one regard it as a Hindu versus Muslim affair or a tribal versus non-tribal one. The basic issue is between Indians and the infiltrators from across the border,” senior BJP leader L K Advani said in the Lok Sabha.
Initiating a debate on an adjournment motion on recent clashes in Kokrajhar and other areas of Assam, he said that out of a total population of about three crore in the state, “between three to four lakh people have been rendered homeless. This is something unprecedented.”
Soon after the Lok Sabha meet in the morning Speaker Meira Kumar took up the day’s agenda, but the opposition members were on their feet demanding an immediate discussion on the violence in Assam.
The lone Bodoland Peoples Front MP S.K. Bwiswmuthiary raised the issue and was supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The members trooped to near the speaker’s podium holding placards. Meira Kumar said she had accepted the adjournment motion. She then adjourned the house amid the din.
In a rare case an angry Cong President Mrs Sonia Gandhi was at her combative best after senior BJP leader L K Advani dubbed as “illegitimate” 2009 election, a remark which he retracted.
It being the first day for Sushilkumar Shinde as Leader of the Lok Sabha, Mrs Gandhi virtually took the reins in her hands and signalled party men to protest vociferously.
Later , Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh who represents Assam termed as “disgraceful and unfortunate” over BJP leader L K Advani’s remark . But debate resumed after adjournment and lunch hour during which Advani withdrew his remarks. In the Rajya Sabha, soon after the obituary references were over,.
Members from other opposition parties were also on their feet raising the Assam violence. The BJP had given a notice for adjourning the question hour to discuss the violence in Assam.
Chairman Hamid Ansari asked the the members to raise the issue in zero hour. However, as the din continued, the upper house was adjourned but resumed again with debate on the subject.
Since morning, there were seprate demonstrations by Bodos as well as Muslims at Jantar Mantar in protest agaisnt the violence in Assam.