Triggered by slogan shouting, two senior leaders of BJP and SP on Tuesday got into a scuffle in the Rajya Sabha after tabling of the report of the Liberhan Commission on the demolition of Babri Masjid.
As soon as Home Minister P. Chidambaram got up to table the report at 12:20 p.m. during Zero Hour, BJP members started raising slogans of "Jai Shri Ram".
This provoked SP member Amar Singh who led his party colleagues to BJP senior member S.S. Ahluwalia in the front row and was seen catching his "old friend" but political rival by collar.
Mr. Singh and Mr. Ahluwalia were separated by their party colleagues.
The unruly scene upset Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan so much that he left the Chair. The House was adjourned till 1400 hours.
In the commotion, SP members shouted counter slogans "Ya Ali, Ya Ali".
When the House reassembled in the afternoon, an anguished Chairman Hamid Ansari said the incident did not bring "credit to the House".
Amar Singh regrets
Mr. Amar Singh expressed "regrets" stating that the incident took place because of emotions.
Mr. Singh said he walked up to Mr. Ahluwalia, with whom he had association since student days, in the heat of the moment and the "unfortunate" incident happened.
"I went there (to Ahluwalia) as a matter of personal right ...but the unfortunate incident happened".
Noting that he was an MP for the last 14 years, Amar Singh said that no such incident had taken place earlier and "whatever happened today was because of emotions". But he urged BJP not to raise slogans.
Responding to Mr. Singh's regret, Mr. Ahluwalia said whatever happened was unfortunate and should not have happened.
Sharing the concern of the Chair, Parliamentary Affairs Minister P.K. Bansal said members of all political parties should strive to preserve, maintain and enhance the prestige of the House of Elders.
Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley said differences must be resolved through debates. He said his party would do utmost to maintain the dignity of the House.
