Oppn asks PM to explain charges

New Delhi, July 27: Both Houses of Parliament were today thrown into turmoil over the Ram Jethmalani issue and adjourned for the day after...

New Delhi, July 27: Both Houses of Parliament were today thrown into turmoil over the Ram Jethmalani issue and adjourned for the day after a vociferous Opposition stalled proceedings demanding explanation from Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on charges levelled by the former Law Minister against the Chief Justice and the Attorney General.

While Rajya Sabha was adjourned more than two hours ahead of schedule amidst Opposition demand for prosecution of Jethmalani, Lok Sabha witnessed pandemonium twice and was finally adjourned for the day immediately after it reassembled at 1600 hours.

Lok Sabha members were seen urging Speaker G M C Balayog to direct Vajpayee to come to the House to clarify the matter, with several members of Congress and RPI trooping into the well demanding Prime Minister8217;s presence.

In the din, Trinamool Congress members were heard demanding President8217;s rule in West Bengal in the wake of today8217;s clashes in Birbhum district in which 11 people were killed.

The Speaker adjourned the House after his repeated appeals to the members to restore order failed.

Trouble began in the Upper House in the morning itself in spite of assurance by the Prime Minister that the government would make a statement on the matter, with agitated Opposition members demanding suspension of the question hour to discuss the issue.

Congress members, Arjun Singh and Pranab Mukherjee, mounted considerable pressure to make Vajpayee make his observations on the matter.

Story continues below this ad

Following heated arguments between agitated Opposition and the ruling benches, Rajya Sabha chairman Krishan Kant directed Jethmalani to modify his explanatory statement on his resignation, saying the Law Ministry had opined that some documents annexed with it were marked quot;secretquot; and quot;confidentialquot;.

The Opposition protested vehemently when Law Minister Arun Jaitley said it was for the chairman to rule whether the documents could be deemed as secret, saying it was for the government and not the chairman to decide on the documents.

When the House met after the lunch recess, the uproarious scenes continued with the Opposition demanding prosecution of Jethmalani, making it clear that they would not allow any other business to be conducted unless this issue was settled.