M A I N   N E W S

Creation of new states
Bid to introduce Bills fails 
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, May 17 — The attempt by the Government to introduce three Bills for creation of new States of Uttaranchal, Vananchal and Chhattisgarh on the last day of the Lok Sabha failed today with a determined Opposition registering strong protest against the move.

On a day when the House had to be adjourned on three occasions, the Speaker Mr G.M.C. Balayogi, announced that sensing the mood of the House, it would not be possible to introduce the Bills.

Soon after the House assembled at 5.30 p.m. after the third adjournment, the Speaker said that the Uttar Pradesh reorganisation Bill moved by the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani earlier could not be introduced as pandemonium prevailed in the House.

As soon as the Home Minister got up to introduce the Bill, Opposition members cutting across party lines stormed the well of the House protesting against any such measure. Members from the Congress, the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Bahujan Samaj Party and Shiromani Akali Dal (Amrtisar) came to the well.

Punjab MPs, Mr Jagmit Singh Brar, Mrs Parneet Kaur, Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann and Mr Tarlochan Singh Tur, among others were seen agitating on the move to introduce the Bill for creation of Uttaranchal especially with the provision for inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar District in it.

That the government planned to introduce the Bill was not known till the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Santosh Gangwar announced the supplementary list of business brought out by the Lok Sabha Secretariat. The announcement triggered off uproar as members charged that the government was having an ulterior motive in coming out with a supplementary list today, the last day of the Budget session.

The House was adjourned for nearly 40 minutes when it re-assembled after lunch break with Samajwadi Party members storming the well soon after this annoucement. The Lok Sabha had been adjourned in the pre-lunch session on the same issue.

Former Prime Minister, Mr Chandra Shekhar had earlier said that he was against bringing any supplementary agenda on the last day of the session, a view which was supported by Mr Prabhunath Singh of the Samata Party, which is an ally in the ruling coalition.

Mr Singh and Independent, Mr Rajesh Ranjan said they were against the bifurication of Bihar until the rest of the State was given a special package by the Centre.

Later, Mr Mann told TNS that the determination of MPs from Punjab had stalled the move of the government and charged that the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal had not asserted on the issue. He said that Mr Badal had let down the Sikh farmers of Udham Singh Nagar.

He said had the SAD (Badal), which is part of the NDA government asserted itself the Bill would not been seen in the current form (inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar district).

Mr Mann said he also met the Union Home Minister before the Bill was attempted to be moved and conveyed strong opposition for including Udham Singh Nagar district. He said Mr Advani assured that the interest of Sikhs will be guarded in the Bill.

PTI, UNI add: A determined Opposition today stalled the introduction of a Bill in the Lok Sabha seeking creation of the new state of Uttaranchal carved out of Uttar Pradesh.

Amidst uproarious scenes, members belonging to the Congress, the Samajwadi Party, the RJD and the BSP and Mr Simranjit Singh Mann (Akali Dal-M) stormed the well of the House protesting against any such measure when the House met after a second adjournment at 4 p.m.

Home Minister L.K. Advani was heard saying that he was introducing the Bill but Lok Sabha Secretariat later said that it had not been introduced as the consent of the House could not be taken by Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi in the din.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan today announced that the three Bills for creation of Uttaranchal, Vananchal and Chhattisgarh would be introduced in Parliament on the opening day of the monsoon session.

Addressing his customary end-of-session meet, Mr Mahajan regretted that four Bills — the three state reorganisation Bills and the Freedom of Information Bill — could not be introduced in this session.

Admitting the confusion that prevailed about introduction of the Uttaranchal Bill even among his colleagues, Mr Mahajan said he had immediately met Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi in his chambers and the latter had clarified that he had permitted Home Minister L.K. Advani to introduce the first Bill. However, Mr Balayogi was forced to adjourn the House when nothing was audible because of the pandemonium created by several Opposition members who had come into the well.