The death of three persons in the police firing on Saturday during farmers' protest against the Uttar Pradesh government's land acquisition policy in Mathura and Aligarh rocked Parliament on Monday. The Bahujan Samaj Party was cornered.
All major parties, including the Congress, protested against the police firing, forcing three adjournments in the Lok Sabha. The Rajya Sabha too witnessed two adjournments, including one after the lunch-break. Besides question hour, the only other business transacted was the tabling of papers listed for the day.
The issue was raised at the outset in both Houses, with non-BSP members demanding that the issue be taken up forthwith, instead of question hour. While these members stood their ground in the Lok Sabha, they allowed the question hour to go on in the Rajya Sabha.
In the Lok Sabha, Rajnath Singh (BJP) led his party members into the well of the House. Members of the Samajwadi Party, the Janata Dal (United), the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RJD) and the Shiv Sena followed suit. Leaders, including SP president Mulayam Singh and RJD chief Lalu Prasad, were on their feet but did not enter the well of the House. Congress members too left their seats, but when restrained by senior leaders, stood on the aisles.
The Opposition members displayed photo copies of news reports and protested the “repression” let loose by the State government against farmers, who were up in arms against land acquisition for the Yamuna Express. BSP leader Dara Singh sought to give a clarification, but most of what he said was drowned in the pandemonium.
Unable to get question hour under way, Speaker Meira Kumar adjourned the House within minutes. When the House reassembled at noon, the Chair took no more than a couple of minutes to gauge the mood and adjourned the House for lunch. The post-lunch session too did not last any longer.
In the Rajya Sabha, BJP members filled up the aisle, while those from the BSP sought to counter the demand.
