Thursday, March 3 2005 11:35 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Both Houses of Parliament today (Mar 3, 2005) witnessed pandemonium with BJP-led NDA vociferously protesting Jharkhand Governor's action in installing the Cong-JMM Government in the State leading to adjournment of both the Houses.

Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day following uproarious scenes by the BJP-led NDA over the Jharkhand issue.

The Opposition stormed the well of the House shouting slogans as soon as it reassembled after the 30-minute first adjournment.

Sensing the mood of the Opposition, Devendra Prasad Yadav, who was in the Chair, called it a day.

Earlier, the Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee had adjourned the House for 30 minutes.

As soon as the Lok Sabha assembled, the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) members were on their feet raising slogans to protest what they termed the "murder of democracy" in Jharkhand.

After being allowed by the Chair, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leader V K Malhotra said it was the "blackest day in the history of Indian democracy" as the Governor had sworn-in "a person who had murder cases against him in that very State".

The Speaker asked Malhotra not to drag in the Governor as it would be against the rules of Parliament.

But as Malhotra continued his attack charging the Congress leadership with "murdering democracy", Chatterjee adjourned the House for half-an-hour.

In the Rajya Sabha, BJP leaders Venkaiah Naidu, Pramod Mahajan, Sushma Swaraj, Murli Manohar Joshi and Rajnath Singh were on their feet protesting the installation of Shibu Soren Government in Jharkhand.

Rajnath Singh asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was present in the House, to recall the Jharkhand Governor.

Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh was also seen raising the Jharkhand issue.

Sensing the mood, Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat adjourned the House till 14:00 hrs (IST), barely five minutes after it met for the day.