Telangana issues rocks Parliament

NEW DELHI: The demand for a separate Telangana rocked Parliament today with TRS, BJP and Congress members from the region forcing adjournment of both Houses till noon.

As soon as the Lok Sabha met for the day, TRS members K Chandrashekar Rao and M Vijayashanti rushed to the Well demanding formation of a separate Telangana. They were supported by BJP members.

A section of Congress members from Andhra Pradesh too were seen in the aisle raising slogans for a separate Telangana, while TDP members were seen waving placards favouring a 'United Andhra Pradesh'.

A Congress member went across to the TDP members and snatched the placard and joined his protesting colleagues.

Speaker Meira Kumar repeatedly pleaded with the agitated members to allow the Question Hour to continue, but when they did not relent, she adjourned the House till noon.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned twice in the Question Hour following uproar by BJP members on the issue.

When the House met for the day, BJP members including Venkiah Naidu were on their feet seeking to know from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was present in the House, the status of creation of a separate Telangana state.

Chairman Hamid Ansari asked members to raise the issue during Zero Hour but this did not satisfy BJP members who trooped into the Well.

"Please go back to your places...let the Question Hour function," he told the adamant members and soon adjourned the House for 15 minutes as the din continued.

When the House reassembled, similar scenes were witnessed, with BJP members again rushing to the well. Ansari then adjourned the House till 1200 hours.

Earlier, just before the Lok Sabha met for the day, several BJP members greeted Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj as she entered the House. They congratulated her on the Supreme Court quashing the appointment of Central Vigilance Commissioner P J Thomas. Swaraj had opposed the appointment of Thomas to the post.