PM's statement on Punjab water crisis brings peace in LS

The day-long uproar in LS subsided after PM's statement that he had called a meeting of concerned chief ministers on the water issue.

The day-long uproar in Lok Sabha over drought in Maharashtra and the situation caused by Punjab's termination of all water sharing agreements with neighbouring states subsided after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement that he had called a meeting of concerned chief ministers on the water issue.

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Singh also assured the House, which was twice adjourned amid unruly scenes, that he would make a statement on the drought situation in Maharashtra after studying the matter.

Singh's announcement brought peace in the House which was repeatedly rocked with Shiv Sena and BJP members from Maharashtra storming the well and staging dharna demanding a statement from none other than the Prime Minister.

An agitated Shiv Sena leader Anant Geete, who led the protest action, accused the Centre of meting out step-motherly treatment to Maharashtra, though the state provided one-thirds of the country's revenue.

The BJP and Shiv Sena members, who trooped into the well repeatedly, demanded central assistance to the tune of Rs 1700 crore as sought by the State Government.

The Prime Minister, who made a similar statement in Rajya Sabha which was also in turmoil over the water issue, said a lasting solution would have to be found to the water row involving Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh.

This would be done keeping in the mind the unity and integrity of the country and interests of the states concerned, Singh said.

He said Leaders of the Opposition in both Houses, LK Advani and Jaswant Singh, met him on Tuesday morning and assured their full support in resolving the matter.

Shiv Sena and BJP members from Maharashtra were up in arms over the drought condition in the state accusing the government of failure in tackling the situation, stalling Question Hour.

As these members trooped into the well, they were soon followed by BJP members from Rajasthan protesting the decision taken by the Punjab Assembly terminating the water sharing agreements.

"We want justice, we want water," the Rajasthan members chanted while those from Maharashtra shouted slogans against the UPA Government's anti-Maharashtra and anti-farmer policies.

The Speaker had a tough time in tackling the angry members who were insisting on his directive that the Prime Minister be called to the House to make a statement.

His pleas to them for restoration of order had no effect as they kept chanting that nothing short of Prime Minister's statement would satisfy them.

As his repeated pleas fell on deaf ears, a visibly annoyed Somnath Chatterjee was heard remarking "I cannot dictate Prime Minister...Prime Minister is not in my pocket.. I am not Prime Minister's agent...Don't threaten me..This is Parliament of India..Please give some respect to the chair."

At one point, when several members started speaking at the same time, Chatterjee remarked "I won't allow super speaker...It is for me to control the House and not you."

In the din, the Speaker asked the Ministers to lay the papers listed against their names and sought approval of the House to motions for elections to several Parliamentary Committees and some other panels.

He also utilised the uproar to ask members to lay their speeches on the Railway Budget if they desired and this resulted in a virtual melee.

After the Prime Minister made a statement, there were charges and counter charges between Government and the opposition with Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee faulting the opposition for its failure to give a notice that they wanted a statement from Prime Minister alone.