BY - IANS
New Delhi, Dec 1 (IANS) The desecration of Dalit
icon B.R. Ambedkar's statue in Kanpur and its
violent aftermath in Maharashtra that led to
the death of three people and torching of two
trains created ripples in parliament Friday
with both houses being adjourned repeatedly.
While no major business was transacted in the
Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha resumed proceedings
at 12 noon with Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP)
leader Mayawati demanding the dismissal of the
Mulayam Singh government in Uttar Pradesh.
Ambedkar's statue in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur
Wednesday triggered massive violence in Maharashtra
the next day with angry Dalits torching two
trains, buses and other public properties in
Maharashtra. Besides three people being killed,
more than 100 were injured in police firing
in the state.
The day that began with disruptions concluded
when the house was adjourned in want of quorum
in the Lok Sabha at 3.30 p.m., when it met to
take up private members' bill. Just before it
was adjourned for the day, the BSP walked out
of the house protesting the central government's
unwillingness to impose president's rule in
Uttar Pradesh.
Earlier, BSP leader Brajesh Pathak said Dalits
were being harassed and insulted in Uttar Pradesh.
"The law and order situation in the state
is going bad to worse. The statue of the architect
of Indian constitution (Ambedkar) has been defaced.
The state government has failed to bring the
culprit to book," he said amid slogans
from his colleagues.
He demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation
(CBI) into the Kanpur incident. The Samajwadi
Party MPs' attempts to counter Pathak's statement
irked the BSP MPs, who came out of their seats
raising slogans like "Insult on Ambedkar
will not be tolerated", "Long live
Ambedkar" and "dismiss Uttar Pradesh
government".
Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee then adjourned
the house till 2 p.m. The acrimony continued
when the house met in the afternoon and proceedings
were adjourned till 3.30 p.m. to take up private
members' bills.
Earlier, the BSP MPs, who wanted to raise the
issue in the question hour itself, ran towards
the speaker's podium within minutes after the
house met Friday forcing deputy speaker Charanjit
Atwal to adjourn proceedings till 11.30 a.m.
BSP members led by Mayawati also walked out
of the upper house when the government refused
to commit itself to a CBI probe into the desecration,
even as it condemned the "senseless and
unfortunate incident that has shocked the conscience
of the nation".
Mayawati raised the twin issues as soon as
the Rajya Sabha convened Friday, demanding that
question hour be suspended and the two issues
discussed.
Deputy Chairperson M. Rahman Singh refused
to budge, saying the issue could be discussed
after question hour, which would not be suspended.
"Question hour is not important. Maharashtra
is burning. Dr. Ambedkar's statue has been insulted,"
Mayawati retorted, even as Praveen Rashtrapal
of the Congress and several opposition MPs supported
her demand.
Mayawati and opposition MPs then advanced towards
the chairperson's podium, shouting slogans like
"Dismiss Uttar Pradesh government"
and "We will not let the house function".
Khan then adjourned the house till 11.30 a.m.
When the house reassembled, Chairperson Bhairon
Singh Shekhawat permitted Mayawati to make a
statement, during the course of which she referred
to a "drunken scheduled caste man"
who was responsible for the Kanpur incident.
Shekhawat immediately objected, which again
led to pandemonium as opposition MPs demanded
that Mayawati be permitted to continue in the
manner she wished to.
Farooq Abdullah (National Conference) seemed
to be the lone dissenter on the opposition benches,
accusing Mayawati of insulting Ambedkar with
her choice of words.
In spite of Shekhawat's plea, Mayawati persisted
with using the word "drunken", even
as opposition MPs raised slogans in praise of
Ambedkar.
Mayawati then switched tack, demanding a CBI
probe into the Kanpur incident and in the din,
Shekhawat was heard saying: "We'll get
it done. You please sit down."
Shekhawat then asked the government to make
a statement.
Said Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs
Suresh Pachauri: "The insult will not be
tolerated. Stringent action will be taken against
those responsible." But this did not satisfy
Mayawati, who said that nothing less than a
CBI probe would do.
Finding his repeated pleas to restore order
being ignored, Shekhawat adjourned the house
for 10 minutes till noon.
When it re-assembled, Khan did not permit Mayawati
to speak and this prompted a BSP walkout.
Indo-Asian News Service
