Monday, February 27 2006 14:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha was plunged into turmoil today (Feb 27 2006) with the BJP attacking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his references to "self-rule" and "autonomy" for Jammu and Kashmir and Congress members, joined by PDP's Mehbooba Mufti, hitting back.

Raising the issue during Question Hour, BJP Deputy Leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra asserted that Jammu and Kashmir remained an integral part of the country and both Houses of Parliament had unanimously passed a resolution to this effect.

He took objections to Prime Minister's remarks saying they had come ahead of US President George Bush's visit to the country.

Any talk about independence of Kashmir went against national interest, Malhotra said amid vehement protest from Mehbooba, who rushed to the well.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Dasmunsi, who persuaded Mehbooba to go back to her seat, took strong objection to certain remarks of Malhotra and other BJP members and asked Deputy Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal to expunge them.

By this time, BJP members, raising slogans that Kashmir was an inseparable part of India, had also trooped into the well.

In the din, the Deputy Speaker adjourned the House till 1300 hrs.

The Prime Minister, while addressing a round-table conference on Jammu and Kashmir, said there was need to evolve a common understanding on the issue of autonomy and self-rule for the state.