The constitution of the UPA-Left committee on the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal on Wednesday rocked Parliament with the Opposition National Democratic Alliance and the Third Front stalling proceedings in both Houses demanding setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee to go into the issue.
Opposition members termed the move to set up the panel as an 'insult' to Parliament and the nation and shouted slogans demanding a JPC on the issue. The government has already rejected the demand.
Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessed frequent disruptions before adjourning for the day.
NDA members trooped into well of the Lok Sabha chanting slogans 'we want JPC' and 'bring JPC, save the nation' when it reassembled at 1500 hours.
Deputy Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal conducted business of the House for nearly 10 minutes amid the din before adjourning it for the day.
Janata Dal-United parliamentarian Prabhunath Singh alleged the government was being run 'like a private company' with the ruling alliance and the Left treating the nuclear deal as a 'family issue.'
Earlier in the day, Deputy Leader of the Opposition V K Malhotra took exception to the formation of the UPA-Left Committee.
"It is an insult to the House and the nation," he said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee, who is the convenor of the panel, and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi were present in the House.
Speaker Somnath Chatterjee pleaded in vain with agitated members to allow Question Hour. He said he would give them an opportunity to raise the issue later. However, the members were unrelenting and the House was adjourned twice in the pre-lunch session.
Before the Lok Sabha was adjourned, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel introduced a bill to regulate tariff and other charges for aeronautical services rendered at airports.
Rajya Sabha saw similar protests but Chairman Hamid Ansari refused to entertain agitated members' plea and went on with the Question Hour amid uproarious scenes. Nothing was audible in the din.
BJP and Shiv Sena members trooped into the well raising slogans and the uproar continued for over 30 minutes.
As the Opposition shouted slogans, some AIADMK members squatted in the well.
When Ansari's pleas to members to restore calm went unheeded, he adjourned the House for 10 minutes.
He again adjourned the House till noon as similar scenes prevailed. It was the same situation when the House met for Zero Hour and Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan adjourned it till 1400 hours after papers were laid.
The Opposition continued to disrupt proceedings of the House when it reassembled at 1400 hours following which P J Kurien, who was in the Chair, adjourned Rajya Sabha for the day.
