Ayodhya issue rocks Parliament

The 14th anniversary of demolition of Babri Masjid had its echo in Parliament on Wednesday with strident Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena and equally vociferous Samajwadi Party, Left and Rashtriya Janata Dal members clashing leading to adjournment of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

After Speaker Somnath Chatterjee made obituary references to two former members, Gokaran Prasad and K B K Deb Burman, and the House observed a minute's silence in their memory, all hell broke loose.

Shouting slogans, the BJP-Shiv Sena members waved placards which read Jai Shri Ram, Mandir waheen banayenge (Hail Lord Ram, we will construct temple at the same spot) and Ram naam se sharmate, Afzal ko gale lagate (Shy away from Lord Ram's name and embrace Afzal).

This was countered by SP, Left, RJD and some Congress members who raised anti-BJP slogans.

With Uttar Pradesh elections round the corner, the mood of the House was clearly reflected as members came prepared for the battle ahead. Shiv Sena members wore saffron scrafs in support of the Ayodhya cause.

While Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee were present, Leader of the Opposition L K Advani, National Democratic Alliance chairman Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Congress president Sonia Gandhi were not seen.

Rajya Sabha was adjourned during Zero Hour after a clash between BJP-Shiv Sena and SP, RJD and Left members.

Immediately after the papers were laid, Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan asked Amar Singh (SP) to raise his two Zero Hour notices. Singh preferred to raise the Babri issue ahead of his other notice on the Dadri power plant.

The moment Singh raised the Babri Masjid issue, BJP and Shiv Sena members were on their feet and trooped into the well shouting Jai Shri Ram (Hail Lord Ram).

Countering them, SP members joined by RJD and Left members too rushed into the well and tried to shout BJP-Shiv Sena members down. In the midst of uproar, Shiv Sena members were seen waving saffron scarves and shouted Jai Shri Ram. In return, the SP-RJD-Left combine made a vociferous demand for punishing culprits of the Babri mosque demolition.

With both sides showing no signs of relenting, the Chair adjourned the House till 1400 hours.