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Parliament remained paralysed for the fifth day on Friday on the petrol pump allotment issue with a united opposition adamant on its demand for the resignation of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee amid uproarious scenes.
While Rajya Sabha was adjourned shortly after it assembled on Friday morning, the Lok Sabha passed the supplementary demands for grants for Railways without any discussion as opposition members stood in the well chanting anti-government slogans.
Railway Minister Nitish Kumar also moved the relevant appropriation bills, which were adopted by a voice vote.
It was in a matter of about ten minutes that the supplementary demands amounting to over Rs 4 billion were passed.
"Gali gali mein shor hai, BJP chor hai, petrol chor, gaddi chodh and pradhan mantri isteefa do (there are shouts in every lane that BJP is corrupt, petrol thief should quit and prime minister must resign)," shouted members from the Congress, Left parties, Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, when the House reassembled at noon after the first adjournment.
With the opposition in no mood to relent, Speaker Manohar Joshi called it day immediately after the supplementary demands were passed.
Similar tumoil was witnessed in the Rajya Sabha on the petrol pump issue with Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptulla telling the opposition, "If you don't want to work then I may adjourn the House for the day." When the opposition members refused to relent and continued with their demand for Naik's resignation, Heptulla adjourned the House for the day.
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