‘Police brutality’ stalls House

The police lathicharge on BJP youth wing workers in the Capital on Tuesday cast its shadow on Parliamentary functioning on Wednesday, with both Houses getting stalled by the fuming BJP.

The police lathicharge on BJP youth wing workers in the Capital on Tuesday cast its shadow on Parliamentary functioning on Wednesday, with both Houses getting stalled by the fuming BJP.

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The party added the cry of “police brutality” to its ongoing campaign on “UPA corruption”, demanding the resignation of home minister P Chidambaram on both issues. The BJP and Shiv Sena also raked up the issue of police firing in Pune in which three farmers were killed.

While Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj said the BJP would decide on Thursday morning their strategy for the day, a senior BJP leader suggested parliament was likely to function.

Meanwhile, the government accused the BJP of irresponsible conduct and a conspiracy to disallow parliament from undertaking crucial legislation. The saffron party also failed to get requisite support from the Left, with CPM leader Brinda Karat accusing the BJP and Congress of having an agreement not to permit Parliament to function.

LK Advani met finance minister Pranab Mukherjee in the morning to complain against the lathicharge on saffron activists, reportedly saying that the police action was at the behest of the Centre.

Attacking the BJP, minister of state for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla said, “It is BJP’s conspiracy that these bills (on economic reforms) should not be passed and then they can say that the government is not able to do anything.”

“BJP has a habit of seeking resignations,” Congress spokesman Rashid Alvi said, adding the lathicharge on BJP youth wing members was an administrative decision. “Our sympathy is with both the youths and the police officers injured.”