Punjab water row: Turmoil in Rajya Sabha

The passage of a Bill in Punjab Assembly terminating all water agreements with two neighbouring states led to uproarious scenes in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

Also Read Punjab annuls water sharing agreements

The House was adjourned twice as a determined opposition demanded Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's intervention to deal with what they described as a 'constitutional crisis.'

Hardening its stand on the Satluj-Yamuna Link canal row in the wake of a Supreme Court directive to the Union government to take over the construction work, Punjab had on Monday annulled all its water sharing agreements with Haryana and Rajasthan.

The Punjab Termination of Agreement Bill 2004, moved by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, was passed by the House after a discussion lasting over one-and-a-half hours at a specially convened one-day session.

The protest on Tuesday in the Rajya Sabha was led by senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj.

Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat sought to pacify the agitated members saying the Leader of the Opposition Jaswant Singh is meeting the prime minister to discuss the issue. However, the slogan-shouting opposition members refused to return to their seats.

Shekhawat then adjourned the House till 1400 hours.