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Parliament in uproar over SYL repeal

          New Delhi: Members of Parliament today indulged in a verbal free-for-all, charging and counter-charging each other over the Punjab government's decision to scrap all water-sharing agreements with the neighbouring states of Haryana and Rajasthan. While the Rajya Sabha was forced to adjourn proceeding till after 2 pm., the Lok Sabha witnessed a slanging and shouting match over Punjab's decision to stop the flow of the Rivers Ravi and Beas to Haryana and Rajasthan. MPs gave a miss to party affiliations and were divided along states lines over the issue. Opposition leaders LK Advani and Jaswant Singh met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who reportedly assured them that a solution would be found. "We want a solution. Since it involves a state government. The solution has to be found by the Centre. If the solution comes through a consensus it will be good for everyone," Advani said.

          The Punjab Assembly had on Monday unanimously passed the Punjab Termination of Agreement Bill, 2004 in a bid to sabotage the construction of the Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal. Punjab Governor O P Verma gave his assent to the Bill this morning. Moved by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh at a special session, the unprecedented Bill was supported by the opposition SAD-BJP alliance two days ahead of the Supreme Court deadline to the Centre to take up construction of the Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal in the state. But legal experts said that the Supreme Court was most likely to strike down the Bill passed by Punjab Assembly that reverses all previous water sharing agreements. The Haryana government has already said it will approach the Supreme Court to examine the legality the bill. The Rajasthan government has also decided to take all possible legal steps to safeguard its water rights. In the Rajya Sabha, agitated opposition members were on their feet demanding immediate intervention by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to deal with what they said was a constitutional crisis and an assault on federalism. The proceedings were halted within 20 minutes of their start.

Shiv Sena-RJD MPs clash in Lok Sabha (Go To Top)

         New Delhi: The oft-seen rift between MPs of the RJD and the Shiv Sena was witnessed again on Tuesday even as complete bedlam prevailed inside the House throughout the day over the controversial SYL issue. The situation arose when the agitated Shiv Sena MPs demanded a statement from the Prime Minister over the prevailing drought- like situation in Maharashtra, and, on the other hand, the RJD members pressed for a discussion on the Rail Budget, that was scheduled for today. While the RJD side was led by Ram Kripal Yadav, Shiv Sena member Ananth Geete spearheaded his party members. He chose to sit inside the Well of the House while instigating other fellow members to follow his gesture. None of the sides paid any heed to the Speaker Somnath Chatterjee's requests. Ugly scenes were witnessed between the two sides since the morning. When SS members appeared relentless, the whole bunch of RJD MPs rose on its feet to outmuscle the ever-shouting SS MPs. "Stop doing acting.........this behaviour of yours won't fetch you votes," Ram Kripal Yadav told the SS members while hinting at the forthcoming elections in the state.

          The series of allegations and counter-allegations continued even after Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh entered the House and rose to make a statement on the Maharashtra drought issue, as demanded by the SS members. The angry SS members continued to sit inside the Well while shouting slogans. On a number of occasions, the prime minister had to sit down even as nothing could be heard amid verbal duels between the two sides. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was seen pacifying the angry RJD members in a bid to let the PM make his statement. Apparently irked at the SS members' behaviour, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee intervened and said that had the Opposition members given a notice in the morning that they wanted a statement from the PM "we would have responded immediately", and the valuable time of the House would not have wasted.

Mobile menace still mauls Parliament proceedings (Go To Top)
by Pankaj Yadav

         New Delhi: Despite repeated requests from the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman, mobiles continue to ring inside both the Houses of the Parliament, even during important discussions and debates. In one such instance (when mobile of one of the MPs rang), Speaker Somnath Chaterjee had to intervene during the speech of Leader of Opposition LK Advani on Monday to admonishingly say: "I request the honourable members to switch off their mobile phones......I also appeal you not to bring your mobile phones inside the House in future."

          Following the Speaker's direction, BJP MP Navjot Sidhu, a first timer, was seen switching off his mobile, besides several other MPs. A couple of years earlier it was proposed to install mobile phone jammers at the entrance of both the Houses. But, what happened ultimately, nobody knows. Besides mobile phones, the MPs can be often seen flouting another restriction - by bring in eatables, including chewing tobacco. MPs, particularly from the RJD, can be seen chewing "khaini" and pan masalas during the House proceedings.

          On one occasion on Monday, Sadhu Yadav, the brother-in-law of Railway Minister Laloo Yadav, was seen handing over a pan masala pouch hidden in a bunch of papers. Later, the Bihar strongman was seen clandestinely putting the pan masala into his mouth even as the Speaker sat in his chair.

Water row: Affected CMs called for talks, says PM (Go To Top)

          New Delhi: Asserting that a lasting solution would have to be found to the water row between Punjab and four neighbouring states, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said he had invited the Chief Ministers of the affected states for talks to resolve the matter amicably. Intervening in the Rajya Sabha after the House was rocked over the issue leading to two adjournments in the pre-lunch session, Prime Minister said a lasting solution should protect the unity and integrity of the country and interests of the states affected by the row. "I have invited the Chief Ministers of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan to find an amicable solution to the problem," Manmohan Singh said.

Assam, Bihar inundated by floods (Go To Top)

          Guwahati/Patna: Assam and Bihar continue to be inundated by floods and according to official state government sources, the havoc caused by this natural calamity has been devastating in its effect so far. The Brahmaputra and its tributaries are still flowing above the danger mark in over half of Assam's 27 districts, displacing over two million people. Over four lakh hectares of standing crop and agricultural fields too has been submerged.

          Meanwhile, the Centre has announced a Rs 212-crore package for Assam and Bihar to tackle the flood situation. The government has already released Rs 46 crore for Assam and Rs 30 crore for Bihar as central share from the Calamity Relief Fund, an official release said in New Delhi on Tuesday.