Jan Lokpal Bill: RS adjourns till noon after uproar over Anna Hazare agitation

NEW DELHI: Opposition BJP today forced adjournment of Rajya Sabha till noon when it created uproar over alleged shift in Government stand on anti-graft activist Anna Hazare's Jan Lokpal Bill.

Hardly Chairman Hamid Ansari called the House to order, Left parties were on their feet raising the issue of alleged killing of their cadre in West Bengal by Maoists.

"Sir, we have given a notice for suspension of Question Hour," Tapan Sen (CPI-M) said.

Ansari, however, disallowed the plea saying "this is Question Hour. I would request the Hon'ble members to please allow Question Hour to proceed."

But the Left members were unrelenting and started moving into the aisles.

"Hon'ble members please resume your places. Please allow Question Hour to proceed," Ansari pleaded.

The ruling benches shouted slogans for taking up the Question Hour and said the Left members could raise the issue in Zero Hour.

After shouting slogans for five minutes, the Left parties staged a walkout.

Soon BJP members stood up demanding a statement on the alleged shift in the stand of the Government of Jan Lokpal Bill.

"Jawab do, Jawab do, Sarkar kyon palat gayi (answer why government changed stand)," the BJP members chanted.

Some members even demanded that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was present in the House, explain the shifting position of the government.

As noisy scenes prevailed, the Chairman adjourned the House till noon.