Army chief's allegations that he was offered bribe rocked Parliament on Monday with both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha adjourning twice after Opposition uproar.
Placard-carrying members of Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Telugu Desam Party and Congress also trooped into the well in the Lok Sabha to demand creation of Telangana, while Rajya Sabha saw Congress member K Keshav Rao joining Prakash Javadekar (BJP) in slamming the government for the delay in creating the separate state.
Javadekar claimed that 609 persons had committed suicide on the issue of Telangana so far, saying the government needs to show political will to bring a bill for creation of Telangana. "NDA will support any such bill," he said.
Rao also came down heavily on the government for the delay in creation of Telangana, saying, "If you want three crore people to die, we are ready."
Javadekar demanded that his notice for suspension of Question Hour to discuss the Army chief's allegation be taken up. The opposition uproar led to the adjournment of the House till noon.
In the Lok Sabha, Congress members from Telangana, sporting black ribbons, and those from TRS and TDP rushed to the well to press for statehood. Slogan-shouting Janata Dal-United members were also in the well demanding coal linkage for a power house in Bihar, forcing adjournment of the House till noon.
When it reassembled, similar scenes were witnessed as TRS, TDP and Congress MPs, supporting Telangana, and those from the JD-U again trooped into the well, leading to its adjournment till 2 pm.
BJP, AIADMK and JD-U members were up on their feet in both Houses raising slogans and displaying copies of the newspaper that carried the Army chief's interview.
In the Upper House, S S Ahluwalia (BJP) raised the issue of Army chief's allegation and demanded a statement from the government.
The Opposition members resented that the House had no information and said the media was reporting that the government has already ordered a CBI probe. As Defence Minister A K Antony was not present, Ahluwalia sought that the House be adjourned for some time so that the government can inform the House.
As the din continued, Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan adjourned the House till 2 pm.
Earlier raising the Telangana issue, Javadekar accused the government of indulging in "time killing" by constituting committees over the issue and said an "insensitive" government fuels peoples' anger.
He pointed out that after the suicide of an MBBS student on the issue two days back, an auto rickshaw driver today committed suicide protesting the delay in Telangana statehood.
The BJP leader also said that while Congress lost in the recently concluded by-elections in Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh, TRS and BJP supporting separate statehood won.
Joining the issue, Rao questioned: "If democratic voice cannot be heard, what is the use of Parliament and assembly?" As Rao, went ballistic over the issue, members from BJP were heard urging the Chair to allow Rao to speak further.
