The Opposition members began protesting against the report as soon as the House reassembled after lunch. They (BJP, JD-U and SP members) insisted that their privilege notice be taken up first. The protests continued even after Finance Minister P. Chidambaram presented the Pathak Authority Report as well as the ATR in the House.

NDA members stormed the well of the Houses and started shouting slogans. BJP member Satya Narain Jatiya took the lead in slogan-shouting — Sonia ko bachaya, Natwar ko dubaya, kha gaye bhaiyya, tel ka rupaiya and pradhan mantri istifa do, istifa do, istifa do.

Speaker Somnath Chatterjee who had adjourned the House twice before in the morning session, refused to adjourn proceedings, allowing the conduct of pending legislative business.

While the Speaker said he needed time to consider the notice for privilege on the issue and would allow a discussion later, Parliamentary Affairs Minister P.R. Dasmunsi said the government was prepared to discuss the issue whenever it was decided by the Lok Sabha Business Advisory Committee.

However, as the NDA members continued to shout slogans, the Speaker adjourned proceedings for the day.

In the Rajya Sabha, besides Natwar Singh, members from BJP, SP, TDP and AIADMK gave notices for breach of privilege. Congress members sought to counter the Opposition by seeking to know the fate of their notice of breach of privilege against Leader of the Opposition Jaswant Singh on the mole-in-the-PMO issue.

Rajya Sabha chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat said the notices of breach of privilege by Natwar Singh against the Prime Minister and the Congress notice were under his consideration.

As Opposition members shouted ‘‘Congress ka pole kholne do, Natwar ko bolne do (let Natwar speak and expose Congress),’’ Congress members countered ‘‘mole, mole.’’

Amidst the din, Shekhawat said he could not give permission to anybody to speak on the privilege motions till he decided on their admissibility before adjourning the House for the day.

The Prime Minister stayed away from both the Houses.