Members of opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiromani Akali Dal on Tuesday stalled proceedings in Lok Sabha over the issue of suicides by farmers across the country, forcing adjournment of the House for the day.
Soon after the House assembled, members led by Akali Dal's S S Dhindsa and BJP's Navjot Singh Sidhu stormed the well raising slogans against United Progressive Alliance government's policies, which they said were responsible for the "sad" plight of farmers.
Speaker Somnath Chatterjee's repeated pleadings that the members should return to their seats as a Calling Attention motion on the farmers' issue was already listed in Tuesday's agenda, failed to pacify them.
"By doing this, you are not serving the farmers' cause... Is this responsible behaviour? Are you promoting their cause by creating such a situation?" Chatterjee asked.
As sloganeering continued, Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Dasmunsi said, "The Opposition is disrupting the House just to see that the discussion (on farmers) does not happen."
He said the leader of Akali Dal (Dhindsa) was one of the movers of the Call Attention motion.
"This is not a cricket ground. Go and learn some parliamentary etiquette", Dasmunsi told the protesting opposition members targeting Sidhu.
Congress members also raised slogans like "Kisanon pe rajniti band karo" (Stop politicising the issue of farmers), but they were pacified by party leaders.
As the din continued, the speaker adjourned the House till 1130 hours.
Soon after the House re-assembled at 11.30 hours, turmoil continued with the BJP and SAD members trooping into the well raising slogans, with counter-slogans from the Congress benches, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for another 30 minutes.
Later, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day.