New Delhi: Government on May 7 faced embarrassment in the Lok Sabha when key allies of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition – Shiv Sena, Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and Samata Party – walked out of the House demanding rollback of telephone tariff hike amidst uproarious scenes during Question Hour.

Even Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader V K Malhotra supported the contention of the allies and the Opposition, saying people were "agitated" over the increase in landline tariff as slogan-shouting by Communist Party of India (CPM), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Shiv Sena, Congress, Samajwadi Party and others continued unabated.

The members' ire was aroused when Communications Minister Arun Shourie sought to defend the hike in the rates saying otherwise Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) would face losses.

Dissatisfied with his reply, the members kept up the demand for a rollback with Congress and Left party members moving into the Well, while Shiv Sena, apparently not wanting to further annoy Speaker Manohar Joshi, restrained the members from following suit. They later walked out along with those from JD-U and Samata Party.

Soon after CPM's Suresh Kurup raised the issue, he was joined by his party colleagues and supported by almost all the major parties.

They contended they would not be able to face the electorate who were annoyed over the steep rise in rental and pulse rates.

Raghunath Jha (Samata) accused the government of playing into the hands of Reliance Industries, which was operating a cellular service.

Shiv Sena leader Chandrakant Khaire and his party colleague Shivaji Mane laid their cell phones on the table of the House as a mark of protest.

Coming out strongly in support of the demand, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader K Yerrannaidu also sought that status quo ante should prevail and the hike withdrawn.

"We are talking of revolution and economic progress, but you are raising the tariff of landlines which affects the poor people," he charged.

As uproarious scenes continued, a visibly annoyed Speaker sternly admonished the members saying, "You have other ways of expressing your views. This is not the way to behave in the House. I can understand your concerns and am ready for half-an-hour discussion on the matter and the Minister will reply to it."

However, this failed to pacify the members who kept up the vociferous protest demanding immediate rollback of the hike.

PTI