M A I N   N E W S

A go-by to House decorum
Speaker raps SP leader
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 20
Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi today came down heavily against Samajwadi Party member Devendra Singh Yadav for misbehaving and said his attempt to assault a member lowered the dignity of the House.

The Lok Sabha witnessed raucous scenes today when vociferous Samajwadi Party members demanded the dismissal of Uttar Pradesh Governor Vishnu Kant Shastri because of his alleged partisan role in shielding the Mayawati government.

In the ensuing pandemonium which lasted nearly 20 minutes, Mr Yadav strode menacingly towards BSP leader Rashid Alvi and virtually tried to manhandle him. The provocation was ostensibly due to Mr Alvi’s allegation that the SP was full of criminals and no political party had so many undesirable people.

External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan and several other members of the ruling and Opposition parties rushed to separate the warring members and persuaded them to return to their seats.

The Speaker said the incident was depressing as it took place in the presence of foreign dignitaries who were watching the proceedings of the Lower House. Mr Joshi ordered the expurgation of remarks made during the heated exchanges between Mr Yadav and Mr Alvi.

Assuring the BSP members to initiate action against Mr Yadav, Mr Joshi said he would do the needful after consulting the rule book.

Later, giving his ruling Mr Joshi deprecated Mr Yadav’s conduct and warned him against repeating such acts.

As soon as the Lok Sabha assembled for the day, the SP members were on their feet shouting slogans against the Governor of Uttar Pradesh.

Talking to newspersons later, Mr Yadav said he was provoked by BSP’s Rashid Alvi.