The Rajya Sabha was adjourned twice on Monday morning following repeated uproar over the remarks by Minority Affairs Minister AR Antulay questioning the death of Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare during the Mumbai terror attack. MPs from the opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) shouted slogans Monday morning and advanced towards the presiding officer's podium, demanding a statement from Home Minister P Chidambaram or the prime minister over the affair.

As appeals from the presiding officer of the upper house of parliament - Vice President Hamid Ansari - failed to restore calm, he adjourned the house for 10 minutes at 11.10 am

However, when the house reassembled after 10 minutes, the NDA MPs continued to shout slogans, despite Ansari saying: "Please don't do this. The government has said it will make a statement."

But the appeal did not pacify the opposition MPs. Ansari then adjourned the house till noon.

Antulay had hinted that Karkare's death could be linked to the Sep 29 Malegaon bombing he was investigating and in which members of Hindu radical groups are the main suspects.

"Superficially speaking, they (terrorists) had no reason to kill Karkare. Whether he (Karkare) was a victim of terrorism or terrorism plus something I do not know.

"Karkare found that there are non-Muslims involved in acts of terrorism in some cases. Any person going to the roots of terrorism has always been the target," Antulay had said, adding: "There is more than what meets the eye".