Members of Left parties and the NDA clashed in the Lok Sabha on Friday over BJP-led opposition's charges against Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, leading to adjournment of the House.
As soon as the House met for the day, Basudeb Acharya of CPI(M) objected to certain observations made by Atal Bihari Vajpayee against the Speaker in a letter written to him.
His objection was to Vajpayee's remarks that the Speaker was unable to earn as much confidence of opposition members as of ruling benches.
Acharya demanded suspension of Question Hour to discuss the issue.
This triggered protest from NDA members leading to a clash between the opposition and the Left.
As the din continued, the Speaker adjourned the House till noon.
Similar scenes were witnessed in the House on Thursday leading to its adjournment for the day.
Meanwhile, the NDA ruled out an apology or withdrawal of Vajpayee's letter to Somnath Chatterjee, saying it stands by every word of what the veteran BJP leader has written.
"There is no question of withdrawal or an apology. We stand by every word of what he (Vajpayee) has written," BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra said.
"They should withdraw it...," Mukherjee told reporters in a brief remark after he emerged out of the meeting with Advani, which was also attended by Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh.
{{/usCountry}}"They should withdraw it...," Mukherjee told reporters in a brief remark after he emerged out of the meeting with Advani, which was also attended by Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh.
{{/usCountry}}But the BJP-led Opposition, which on Tuesday boycotted the Lok Sabha as a mark of protest against the Speaker whom it accused of suppressing its voice, demanded an apology from the ruling UPA for speaking against it while its members were not present in the House.