RS disrupted, adjourned twice briefly

New Delhi, April 10 (IANS) The Rajya Sabha on Monday witnessed chaos, disruption and two brief adjournments with the Congress party alleging that the non-BJP Chief Ministers were being targeted by the Centre.

"The CBI, ED and other government agencies are being used against non-BJP Chief Ministers," Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said.

The matter was raised by Congress leader Anand Sharma and he, along with several others, demanded a discussion on the issue.

"There cannot be two sets of rules," Sharma said, accusing the Centre of targeting governments in the Congress-ruled states.

He apparently referred to attachment of properties belonging to Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoning him in connection with an alleged money-laundering case.

Sharma said "the government is protecting the wrong-doings of its own Chief Ministers" who face accusations of "money laundering, nepotism and corruption".

All Congress members were on their feet as their leaders spoke and levelled allegations against the central government.

They sought suspension of business during pre-lunch session to discuss the matter.

But when their notices under rule 267 were disallowed, the Congress members trooped into the Well of the House and started raising slogans against the central government.

They ignored pleas of Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien, who repeatedly asked them to return to their seats.

Kurien then adjourned the House for 10 minutes.

When the House reassembled, similar unruly scenes were witnessed again and the Deputy Chairman adjourned the proceedings for another five minutes.