New Delhi: Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party members on August 8 clashed in the Lok Sabha over allegations that Income Tax authorities, who raided premises of relations of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, were being pressurised by the government not to take any action.

After Akhilesh Singh of Samajwadi Party raised the issue, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Rashid Alvi strongly protested and had heated exchanges with Samajwadi Party (SP) members.

Responding to the issue, Finance Minister Jaswant Singh said no income tax raid had been conducted on the premises of Mayawati's relations in Uttar Pradesh or anywhere else.

He said the Narcotic Board authorities had raided the premises of some travel agents and Income Tax officials in Delhi in connection with narcotic smuggling. Singh, however, did not give details.

"The members would not have raised their blood pressure by raising the issue if they had asked me before doing so," Singh said.

Samajwadi Party members' notices for adjournment motion on the issue were, however, rejected by Speaker Manohar Joshi.

Quoting a newspaper report, Akhilesh Singh said premises of several relations of Mayawati were raided by Income Tax authorities in Meerut and Noida and both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister were putting pressure on them not to initiate any action.

PTI