New Delhi:
In an anti-climax, voting on the Women's Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha was deferred on Monday with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh likely to call an all-party meeting on the issue on Tuesday after Samajwadi Party and RJD threatened to withdraw support to the UPA government.
After five adjournments, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day at 6 pm without the bill being taken up despite the government having the numbers to carry the legislation through.
Mulayam Singh Yadav, and Lalu Yadav had earlier announced the withdrawal of their outside support to the UPA government over the Bill.
The government was attempting history in the making, but the proceedings got off to a very rocky start. There was chaos in both the Houses when they opened on Monday morning.
Rajya Sabha:
The Rajya Sabha witnessed unprecedented scenes leading to multiple adjournments as determined SP, RJD, LJP and BSP members entered the well of the House, ripped off mikes and tore up papers in an attempt to stall the Women's Reservation Bill from being taken up for consideration.
An attempt was also made to snatch the Bill from the Chairman's table which was prevented by marshals. However, the leaders snatched some papers from the Secretary General's table and tore them up.
Mr Kamal Akhtar of Samajwadi Party, Mr Sabir Ali of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and Mr Gangacharan Rajput of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) along with other party members spearheaded the stalling tactics. Some of them then got on the reporters' table in the well of the House.
All members of various political parties were on their feet. Seeing these antics many looked shocked.
The ruling Congress party members, especially women, were seen making a protective ring around Law Minister M Veerappa Moily who will move the Bill for consideration.
Shocked over these developments, the Chairman adjourned the House till 3 pm.
Earlier, the House was adjourned twice within minutes of assembling as members of the SP, RJD, LJP, and BSP raised slogans from the well of the House demanding implementation of the Ranganath Mishra Commission report.
At 6 pm, the House was finally adjourned till Tuesday.
Lok Sabha:The Lok Sabha was adjourned thrice on Monday when SP, RJD and JD(U) members trooped into the well protesting the Women's Reservation Bill in its present form.
When the House, which was earlier adjourned twice on the same issue, reassembled at 2 pm, members of these parties led by RJD chief Lalu Prasad, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and JD(U) President Sharad Yadav, stormed the well shouting slogans.
As the slogan-shouting continued, Trinamool Congress members including its chief and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, were seen singing the famous song - "We shall overcome some day".
Other Trinamool members, including Minister of State for Health Dinesh Trivedi, chief whip Sudip Bandopadhyay and cine-star turned MP Shatabdi Roy, were heard singing the song in the House.
As the din continued, Deputy Speaker Karia Munda adjourned the House till 3 pm.