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National

Disruption, walkout over Bundelkhand

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Both Houses of Parliament witnessed adjournments following a vociferous demand by the Bahujan Samaj Party for a special package for the drought-hit Bundelkhand and Purvanchal regions of Uttar Pradesh. Subsequently, all members of the party walked out.

In the Lok Sabha, the BSP members raised the matter soon after three new members — including two from their party — took oath. They wanted question hour suspended to discuss the plight of the farmers there. Accusing the Centre of “politicking” in the name of two backward regions, Brajesh Pathak asked the government to announce a special Rs.80,000-crore package.

Speaker pulls up new MPs

The newly elected members — Akbar Ahmad Dumpy and Kushal Tiwari — also joined the noisy protests, prompting the Speaker to take a swipe at them for their behaviour on their first day in the House.

He refused to suspend question hour saying the matter could be taken up during zero hour.

When the BSP members continued with slogan shouting, Mr. Chatterjee adjourned the Lok Sabha for 50 minutes till noon.

As soon as it reassembled, the BSP members again raised slogans and later staged a walkout.

In the Rajya Sabha also, question hour was disrupted after the BSP members demanded an immediate discussion on the plight of farmers.

When Chairman Hamid Ansari disallowed S.C. Mishra’s plea to suspend question hour and allow a discussion on the issue, the BSP members started shouting slogans and disrupted the proceedings, forcing an adjournment for 15 minutes.

When the House resumed, they once again raised their demand for a discussion. Mr. Ansari did not concede it and they staged a walkout.

The incidents in Parliament came days after BSP chief and Chief Minister Mayawati threatened to withdraw support to the Centre if it failed to provide the package.

Responding to questions on what happened in both Houses, Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said no government had been more sensitive than the UPA regime to the needs of Uttar Pradesh. The Planning Commission had increased the allocation over the past few years and it was for the State government to pass it on to Bundelkhand.

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