Motormen’s strike: Lok Sabha adjourns till 5.30 pm

NEW DELHI - With the debate over the indefinite strike by railway motormen refusing to die down, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha Meira Kumar was forced to adjourn proceedings till 5.30 p.m. on Tuesday.

While, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Narayanasamy said a statement would be made in the House by 6 p.m., the opposition demanded a statement by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Earlier, the house was adjourned twice-once at 12 p.m. and second time at 2 pm on the issue.

Earlier, immediately after completion of obituary reference, Shiv Sena members trooped into the well flashing placards ‘Mumbai comes to a grinding halt’ and sought to raise the issue of railway motormen strike.

Shiv Sena members trooped into the well flashing placards ‘Mumbai comes to a grinding halt’ and sought to raise the issue of the motormen strike.

AIADMK members also stormed into the well waving copies of a newspaper that carried reports on the controversy surrounding 2G spectrum bids.

They demanded resignation of Communications Minister and DMK leader A Raja.

With members unrelenting, the Speaker asked Home Minister P Chidambaram, who was replying to a question, to take his seat as nothing could be heard amid the din and adjourned the proceedings till noon.

DMK sources have ruled out the possibility of Raja resigning.

Sources said Raja has emerged as the Dalit face of the DMK and enjoys a good rapport with Karunanidhi.

Though Raja is embroiled in two major allegations-the spectrum allotment — and his alleged telephone call to a Madras High Court judge for a favourable order Karunanidhi has remained soft on him. (ANI)