Assam violence leads to uproar, parliament adjourned till noon

New Delhi -  Both houses of parliament were adjourned Wednesday after members raised an uproar over the Assam violence, the Telangana statehood issue and the desecration of a statue of B.R. Ambedkar on the first day of the monsoon session.

In the Lok Sabha, the opposition National Democratic Alliance moved an adjournment motion on the ethnic violence in Assam that has claimed over 70 lives.

Soon after the Lok Sabha met at 11 a.m. Speaker Meira Kumar took up the day's agenda, but the opposition members were on their feet demanding an immediate discussion on the violence in Assam. The lone Bodoland Peoples Front MP S.K. Bwiswmuthiary raised the issue and was supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The members trooped to near the speaker's podium holding placards. The Telangana MPs were also on their feet demanding the statehood issue be taken up.

Meira Kumar said she had accepted the adjournment motion. She then adjourned the house amid the din.

In the Rajya Sabha, soon after the obituary references were over, Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati stood up to raise the issue of a statue of Dalit icon B.R. Ambedkar being vandalized in Uttar Pradesh.

"This is an insult to Baba Saheb," Mayawati said.

Members from other opposition parties were also on their feet raising issues, includign the Assam violence. The BJP had given a notice for adjourning the question hour to discuss the violence in Assam.

Chairman Hamid Ansari asked the the members to raise the issue in zero hour. However, as the din continued, the upper house was adjourned till 12 noon.