DHISHUM! When parliaments turned to battlefields

People across the world have been fighting for their rights. However, their representatives, within the ambit of sacrosanct parliaments, have often stooped to fighting of a literal level.

While some have chosen to press the red button of violence over minor ego tussles, some 'muscle men' -- and women -- have claimed to ensure 'welfare of the society' as a possible reason triggering the emotional explosion. Whatever may have been the reasoning, but such deplorable acts have definitely hit democracy below the belt.

Rediff.com presents some jaw-breaking, tight-slapping, hair-pulling photographs clicked across the globe.

In this picture, Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party MP Idris Sami Tandogdu (R) and an unidentified CHP MP (rear R) hit Turkey's ruling Ak Party MP Alim Tunc (2nd L) as others try to stop the fight during a debate in the Turkish parliament in Ankara, in 2007.

Turkish parliament convened to debate the constitutional amendment package regarding general and presidential elections.

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Claudio Barbato (L), a member of the opposition FLI party, fights with Fabio Ranieri (R) from the Northern League in parliament in Rome, Italy, on October 26, 2011. The Italian deputies exchanged blows in parliament as tensions over a tough economic reform programme came to a head.

Lawmaker Kim Sun-dong (C) of the Democratic Labour Party struggles with security guards after he detonated a tear gas canister towards the chairman's seat, to try to stop the ruling Grand National Party's move to ratify a bill on a free trade agreement with the US, at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, on November 22, 2011.

South Korea's ruling conservatives had rammed a controversial free trade deal with the United States through parliament as legislators scuffled and one opposition MP let off a tear gas device, briefly clearing the chamber.

Turkey's ruling AK Party lawmaker Muhittin Aksak (R) and main opposition Republican People's Party lawmaker Mahmut Tanal (L) scuffle during a debate at the parliament in Ankara, on February 8, 2012.

Members of the ruling Grand National Party (L) scuffle with members of the main opposition Democratic Party who were blocking entry into the main conference hall of parliament, in Seoul, South Korea, on December 8, 2010. The two sides collided over next year's budget plan.

Lawmakers of South Korea's main opposition parties (R) scuffle with lawmakers (C,L, 2nd - L, 3rd-L) from Uri Party backing former president Roh Moo-hyun at parliament in Seoul, on March 12, 2004.

Lawmakers of opposition parties help their fellow lawmaker (top) who tries to escape as they scuffle with lawmakers of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) at the National Assembly plenary session hall in Seoul, on December 8, 2010.

The opposition lawmakers were trying to prevent GNP lawmakers from passing new bills, including the new year's budget bill. South Korea's government rammed through the 2011 budget amid brawls between lawmakers over billions of dollars of spending on controversial projects to clean up the country's rivers.

Bengi Yildiz (L), a parliamentarian from the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party, reacts as he scuffles with some members of parliament during a debate at parliament in Ankara, on April 20, 2010. The parliament in Turkey was debating changes to the constitution.

Lawmakers Sirri Sakik (L) from the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) and Mehmet Erdogan (2nd R) from the ruling Justice and Development Party argue during a debate at the Turkish parliament in Ankara, on February 10, 2011.

Members of Turkish parliament from the ruling AK Party (AKP) and Republican People's Party (CHP) scuffle during a debate at the parliament in Ankara, on February 8, 2012.

Members of the Somali parliament fight after majority voted against the speaker of the parliament Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden (not pictured) in southern Mogadishu, on December 21, 2011. A total of 287 out of the 290 legislators attending the session voted against the speaker.

Vice speaker of the Ukrainian Vekhovnaya Rada, Adam Martynyuk (R), scuffles with deputy Oleg Lyashko during a session in the chamber of the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev, on May 18, 2011.

Opposition Democratic Progressive Party legislator Kuo Wen-chen falls off the podium while scuffling with ruling Nationalist Party legislators at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, on July 8, 2010.

Taiwan legislators threw objects, splashed water and kicked one another, sending two to the hospital in a brawl over how fast to ratify a trade pact with China that shaped up as a pivotal election issue.

Sri Lanka's members of parliament of main opposition United National Party and government members of parliament clash as President Mahinda Rajapaksa presents the 2012 budget in Parliament in Colombo, on November 21, 2011.

Opposition Democratic Progressive Party legislators cover the mouth of Nationalist legislator Chao Li-yun during a parliament session inside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, on April 21, 2010. 

The session was held as part of a bill ammendment on whether students from mainland China will be allowed to attend Taiwan universities.

Deputies scuffle during the opening session in the chamber of the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev, on September 7, 2010.

Members of parliament from the ruling AK Party and Republican People's Party scuffle during a debate at the parliament in Ankara, on March 30, 2012.

Pro-government deputies of Yulia Tymoshenko's bloc (top) scuffle with opposition members of the Regions party during the last day of the Ukranian parliament's session in Kiev, on July 16, 2009.

Parliament security guards fall during a scuffle with members of the main opposition Democratic Party at the National Assembly in Seoul, on January 3, 2009. Opposition Democratic Party lawmakers were occupying the chairman's seat in the plenary session hall since December 26, 2008, to block the ruling, conservative Grand National Party lawmakers who wanted to pass disputed bills which include a U.S. trade deal as well as easing rules on bank ownership, on tapping mobile phones and on broadcasting company ownership by conglomerates and conservative print media firms.

Communist deputies scuffle with members of parliament loyal to then Ukranian president Viktor Yushchenko before the president's annual "state of the nation" address to the chamber in Kiev, on February 9, 2006.

Yushchenko had proposed breaking a legal logjam with parliament by creating a commission to draft a new version of the constitution to be submitted to a referendum.

Congressional lawmakers from PAN (below) pull down a lawmaker of PRD (C) who is trying to get to the podium during an attempt to take over the congress just days before the inauguration of Felipe Calderon as Mexican president in Mexico City, on November 28, 2006.

Rival deputies scuffled on the floor of Mexico's Congress as leftist lawmakers tried to take the podium to protest then president-elect Calderon's inauguration.

Taiwan legislators treat a colleague who was injured following a fight in parliament in Taipei, on May 8, 2007. The brawl in Taiwan's sharply divided parliament is by no means the island's first, with legislators throwing stones and lunchboxes in previous sessions after failing to see eye to eye on certain issues.

Militant members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions scuffle with one of their colleagues who tried to block fellow members attempting to occupy the podium at a general meeting of the KCTU in Seoul, on March 15, 2005. Militant members of the hardline umbrella labour union were protesting the leadership's proposal to return to talks with the government and the management at a tripartite commission on labour issues.

South Korean lawmakers from Uri Party (top R, 2nd-L), who backed then President Roh Moo-hyun, scuffle with lawmakers from opposition the Grand National Party as the latter attempt to occupy the seat of the speaker at parliament in Seoul, on March 12, 2004.

Opposition Democratic Progressive Party legislators scuffle with ruling Nationalist Party legislators (top) at the Legislative Yuan In Taipei, on July 8, 2010. 

Lawmakers from opposition parties remove a Uri Party lawmaker (C), from speaker's seat in parliament in Seoul, on March 12, 2004.

Ukrainian deputies scuffle during a parliamentary session in Kiev, on November 15, 2005. Ukrainian parliament was due to debate laws required to help Ukraine's talks with the World Trade Organisation but the communists opposed the move.

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