NEW DELHI: Following requests by members, both Houses of Parliament were adjourned for the day on Friday to mark the 150th anniversary of the First War of Independence. While there was a note of conciliation in the Lok Sabha after Thursday's turmoil over Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's remark on migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, in the Rajya Sabha, the AIADMK continued to demand the dismissal of the Karunanidhi Government for the recent violence in parts of Tamil Nadu.

As soon as the Lok Sabha met, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi informed the House that Ms. Dikshit had publicly apologised for her reference to people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and wanted the chapter closed. RJD leader Devendra Prasad Yadav, whose party joined the protests, concurred with Mr. Dasmunsi and so did BJP leader V. K. Malhotra.

Speaker Somnath Chatterjee also requested the members not to raise the issue at a time "when we are all united in paying respect to the martyrs of the freedom struggle." The Speaker then acceded to the requests for adjournment.

But in the Rajya Sabha, AIADMK members trooped into the well as soon as the House assembled. Blaming the violence on the feud in Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi's family, they demanded the dismissal of the State Government. Congress MPs were on their feet, pointing out that the protest was infructuous as the Government had already requested CBI investigation. Although Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat gave the assurance that he would allow the members to raise the issue, the AIADMK MPs were unrelenting. The Chairman then said he had received requests for adjournment to mark the 1857 war of independence and was suspending the remaining business of the day.

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