NEWS

Parliament stalled; Rail Budget delayed

By Onkar Singh in New Delhi
February 26, 2007

The Lok Sabha has been adjourned till noon and the Rajya Sabha till 2 pm, after uproar over the Bofors issue.

The opposition National Democratic Alliance stalled the Question Hour in both Houses of Parliament on the Quattrocchi issue and did not allow the Rail Budget to be read out in the Lok Sabha.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned till noon on Monday after opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and Samajwadi Party members got on their feet as soon as the House met for the second day of the budget session.

The opposition members raised slogans and asked the government to explain why the prime accused in the Bofors case Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi's detention was not announced when it happened.

The members, who sought the early extradition of Quattrocchi, rushed to the well of the House.

They demanded the adjournment of the Question Hour to discuss the issue.

Pandemonium continued for about five minutes after which Speaker Somnath Chatterjee adjourned the House.

Quattrocchi, wanted by Interpol in the 1986 case, was detained in Argentina on February 6 but the announcement about it was made only last Friday.

The Rajya Sabha was also adjourned till 2 pm.

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

NEXT ARTICLE

NewsBusinessMoviesSportsCricketGet AheadDiscussionLabsMyPageVideosCompany Email