NEW DELHI: The Indo-U.S. civil nuclear deal issue disrupted proceedings in the Lok Sabha on Monday, but Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made his statement in the afternoon amid vociferous protests by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA).
Later, in the Rajya Sabha, he chose to table the statement in view of the loud protests by the entire Opposition and Left parties after which the House was adjourned for the day.
The day’s proceedings underlined the United Progressive Alliance Government’s political isolation on the issue. While the Left parties were the first to walk out of the Rajya Sabha in protest soon after the Prime Minister began to speak, their party members heard Dr. Singh out in the Lok Sabha till the fag end and did not join the NDA and UNPA in picketing the well of the House and raising slogans.
The Left members raised their voice of protest in the Lok Sabha when Dr. Singh reached the last paragraph and walked out of the House.
– The Hindu (Aug. 14, 2007)
