Members, most of them on their feet, created a deafening din when the Lok Sabha resumed for the post-recess Budget Session today. During Question Hour, it seemed everyone had something to shout about. While the BJP hammered on about the Geelani-LeT rally, the Congress countered with the Gujarat fake encounter case. DMK and RJD members cried themselves hoarse on the OBC reservation issue, while Telugu Desam members let their displeasure over the Babli project known.

BJP deputy leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra drew the attention of the House to the presence of LeT elements at separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s rally in Srinagar and demanded his arrest. He said masked LeT men carried Pakistani flags and raised anti-India slogans at the rally. He claimed the meeting was “illegal” and asked why no action had been taken against Geelani.

Prabhunath Singh of the JD(U) termed it a “very sensitive” matter and wanted to know what action the government had taken against the militants. He said the government must tell the House what case had been registered against whom in the wake of “suspicion” in the country that the “government was patronising militants”.

Gurudas Dasgupta said the Srinagar incident was “dangerously outrageous” because it sought to “hurt the integrity of India”.

However, he welcomed the move by both countries to settle disputes despite provocations from extremists in India and Pakistan.

BJP and JD(U) members pressed for an immediate response from the government. Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee promised to make a statement “at an appropriate time”, but the Opposition insisted that he do so right away. Mukherjee stuck to his stand and said the Opposition could not “force the government” to make a statement. The NDA then walked out in protest.

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