The UPA government was severely embarrassed today in the Lok Sabha when two powerful allies — the Left parties and DMK — virtually came to blows over introduction of a Bill to set up a maritime university in Tamil Nadu.

The Left parties opposed the Bill, demanding that an existing institute in Kolkata be upgraded to university-level.

Marshals were summoned after Left MPs stormed the well, trying to snatch the Bill from Shipping Minister T R Baalu who was introducing the Indian Maritime University Bill.

Almost simultaneously, DMK leaders, including Minister of State for Finance S S Palanimanickam, formed a human wall around Baalu.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister Shivraj Patil watched helplessly while BJP members thumped desks in jubilation as Left members surged menacingly towards Baalu. “This is the character of the UPA, look at them,” said BJP MPs.

Ultimately, it was left to the marshals, Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Dasmunsi, RPI member Ramdas Athawale and Shiv Sena member Mohan Rawle to separate the two sides.

The unruly scenes, which had the Government squirming, forced Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to repeatedly adjourn the House.

When the House reassembled, Leader of Opposition L K Advani said that a situation of this kind had arisen in the past but it was invariably due to differences between the Government and the Opposition.

“But this is totally unprecedented because it is within the ruling party,” Advani said, adding that the “coalition dharma” had been violated in an “ugly manner” and the Government should think about it.

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