New Delhi: Timely intervention by senior members in Lok Sabha on May 9 averted a scuffle between Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Samata Party members as the latter were vociferously pressing for referring their notices of breach of privilege against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Shivraj Patil to the Privileges Committee.

Agitated members from both sides stormed the Well menacingly but senior members including former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar immediately intervened and persuaded them to go back to their seats.

As soon as the House assembled this morning, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief whip Vijay Kumar Malhotra wanted to know from Speaker Manohar Joshi the fate of the notice of breach of privilege given by him against Gandhi and Patil.

He said action initiated against four Congress members for defying party's decision to boycott Defence Minister George Fernandes on May 8 clearly amounted to breach of privilege of the members as they had every right to participate in the House proceedings.

Malhotra was strongly supported by Samata Party members, who said they too had given similar notices against Gandhi and Patil.

Samata Party member Prabhunath Singh said Gandhi and Patil be hauled up for initiating action against the four Congress members.

This was objected to by RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, who had heated exchanges with the Samata Party member.

Shouting against each other, they trooped into the Well. The RJD leader was also joined by several Congress members.

Patil said walkout was a civilised manner to register protest and if some members had violated party's decision, it was up to the party leadership to deal with it.

In fact, it was the other side, which was indulging in unparliamentary practices by frequently storming the Well, he said adding the party could deal with the situation.

"How can it be a breach of privilege?" he asked.

The Speaker said he had received the privilege notices and was examining these.

PTI