Samajwadi Party members on Friday clashed with those from the Bahujan Samaj Party in the Lok Sabha after their leader Mulayam Singh Yadav alleged that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati was threatening to arrest him under the Prevention of Terrorism Act for raising his voice against her corrupt practices.
The SP members, who stalled the Question Hour for 30 minutes, stormed into the well and squatted there. In retaliation, the BSP members also trooped into the well and shouted slogans against the SP.
For the fourth consecutive day, the proceedings in the House were paralysed by the agitating SP members, who had first raised the videotape controversy involving Mayawati in which she was shown as saying that MPs and legislators earning 'cuts' from their constituency development funds should contribute to party fund.
Later, the SP members sought to draw the attention of the House to Wednesday's defeat of the no-confidence motion against the Mayawati government in the UP assembly.
Shortly after the Question Hour, Speaker Manohar Joshi ruled that the notices of breach of privilege given by SP member Ramjilal Suman and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh against Mayawati for her reported statement that MPs were earning commissions from their constituency development funds was 'under my consideration'.
The matter would be taken up for consideration in due course of time, he said.
Yadav also alleged that police had raided his brother's house in UP merely because his party had spoken against Mayawati.
In the midst of the din, Samata Party member Prabhunath Singh said there was total anarchy and lawlessness in Bihar and sought dismissal of the RJD government and imposition of President's rule there.
As members of the SP and BSP sparred, Congress member Margaret Alva and Bharatiya Janata Party member Anant Nayak wanted to know whether the House would only discuss Bihar and UP or take up issues relating to other parts of the country.
Joshi said he agreed with them and from Monday he would not allow members to disrupt the Question Hour even if they had given notices of adjournment motion.
"When next week starts, I will call leaders of political parties to discuss with them how to ensure smooth functioning of the Question Hour. All adjournment notices will be taken up after Question Hour," he said.
Rejecting the notices of adjournment motion of the SP, he asked its members to go back to their seats and raise the issue under different rules. "I am not going to come under pressure and allow you to speak," he said.