Lok Sabha plunges in turmoil

The issue of "tainted" ministers in the Manmohan Singh led UPA government yesterday rocked the Rajya Sabha with opposition members shouting slogans leading to adjournment of the house for the day.

Slogan-shouting members from the BJP and its allies stormed the well shouting "Manmohan Singh shame, shame" and "dagi mantri hatao, desh bachao" (remove tainted ministers, save the nation).

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Repeated pleas by Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to restore order proved futile as the agitated members were in no mood to relent, leading to adjournment of the House till 1400 hours.

Trouble started when NDA convenor George Fernandes, seated next to former prime minister and NDA chairman Atal Bihari Vajpayee, stood up to raise the issue of induction of "tainted" persons in the government.

This was vehemently countered by Raghunath Jha (RJD) who was supported by party colleagues and some other ruling UPA members who levelled charges against Fernandes.

Even as the Speaker allowed Fernandes to speak, he was shouted down by the ruling benches forcing heated exchanges between the two sides.

Amidst noisy scenes, Swaraj said President APJ Abdul Kalam in his address to joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament on Monday had said that the Congress-led coalition Government was committed to rooting out corruption.