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Melee erupts in Indian Parliament over state bill

World News

13-02-2014 | 15:42

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Melee erupts in Indian Parliament over state bill

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A lawmaker sprayed pepper spray inside India's Parliament on Thursday, creating chaos that left his colleagues coughing and crying as they were ushered from the hall, in a protest over a contentious proposal to create a new southern state.

Top Congress party official and Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath said the incident had "disgraced our parliament, the lower house, the entire parliamentary democracy".

Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said action would be taken against those involved in the incident.

One parliament member was rushed to hospital, but no information was immediately available about his condition.

Lawmakers had been set to vote on whether to create Telangana state from the mostly poor, inland districts of Andhra Pradesh.

The plan has inspired passionate protests and arguments for keeping the state unified.

A key point of contention has been the proposal to include wealthy technology and industrial hub Hyderabad within Telangana.

Apparently to stop the bill from coming to a vote, Congress party lawmaker Lagadapati Rajagopal from Andhra Pradesh unleashed pepper spray from the main speaking area in the Parliament.

Several members attempted to subdue Rajagopal, leading to a scuffle on the Parliament floor, before he was eventually expelled from the proceedings.

Opposition leader Sushma Swaraj alleged that Congress Party members had deliberately created the melee so they could introduce the controversial bill in parliament.

Speaker Meira Kumar adjourned the session until Thursday afternoon, calling the turmoil "a blot".

The contentious proposal to create Telangana state has pitched Congress lawmakers from Andhra Pradesh against each other.

AP

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