Monday, April 25 2005 14:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha today (Apr 25, 2005) witnessed acrimonious exchanges between the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over the chargesheeting of Railway Minister Laloo Prasad in the fodder scam and the alleged attack on him in Gujarat, forcing adjournment of the House in the pre-lunch session.

"The behaviour in the street is better than what is happening here," an anguished Speaker Somnath Chatterjee remarked after repeated attempts by him to restore order failed.

"Laloo ko barkhast karo" (sack Laloo), shouted Opposition members. "Modi sarkar ko barkhast karo" (dismiss the Modi Government) countered RJD members vociferously.

"It is very, very unfortunate," observed Chatterjee wondering why the members were behaving in this manner when he had said he would hear them.

Seeing agitated members from both sides move to front rows, the Speaker warned, "any member coming to the well will face the consequences. It applies to all. I am giving the notice".

Heated exchanges between the RJD and the NDA members on the issue disrupted first half of the Question Hour.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Sushil Kumar Modi, BJP, said Laloo has been chargesheeted by a Patna court for "embezzlement" of Rs 37 crore from Bihar's Chaibasa treasury.

He also contended that a fact-finding committee, which went to Gujarat to probe Laloo's complaint of an attack on him found it to be "false".

The BJP member charged that Laloo's supporters had broken the windshield of his car as part of a "pre-meditated" plan to divert the country's attention from the fodder scam.

This triggered loud protests from RJD members who demanded the immediate arrest of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

The Speaker initially said he will not adjourn the House. "Go on shouting. How long can you do it? ...It is a shameful behaviour."