Attacks on north Indians, Assam violence rock LS

New Delhi, Oct 20 (PTI) Several issues like attacks on
north Indians in Mumbai allegedly by supporters of Raj
Thackeray, violence in Bodo areas of Assam and demands for a
judicial probe into the Batla House encounter created much
uproar in the Lok Sabha Monday.

Amid unruly scenes, M.D.M.K. members also raised the
issue of alleged "genocide" of Tamils in Sri Lanka. The House
had be adjourned twice during the day due to the ruckus.

It also witnessed demands by Rashtriya Janata Dal
(R.J.D.) and Samajwadi Party (S.P.) for the arrest of
Thackeray, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (M.N.S.) chief, on
charges of "treason".

The violence in Assam generated much heat with Bhartiya
Janata Party (B.J.P.) and Left parties demanding a statement
from the government after the issue was vociferously raised by
independent Bodo MP S.K. Bwiswmuthiary.

He referred to the "large-scale violence" against the
ethnic Bodo and Garo tribes, Bengalis and Biharis allegedly by
illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in the Bodo-dominated areas of
Udalguri and Darrang districts of Assam.

Carrying photographs of the violence, Bwiswmuthiary twice
staged a dharna in the well of the House and once even took
off his colourful tribal jacket as a mark of protest.

His statement that "pro-Pakistani and jehadi elements"
were involved in the attack and that the attackers hoisted
Pakistani flags and raised anti-India slogans, led the B.J.P.
to come out in strong support. B.J.P. MP V.K. Malhotra and
others wanted the government to respond on the issue.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Mohd Salim also
wanted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was present in the
House then, to make a statement, saying the violence in Assam
was being perpetrated in the name of religion leading to
killings and forcing lakhs of people to take shelter in relief
camps.

Bwiswmuthiary, who also sought a Central Bureau of
Investigation (C.B.I.) probe into the incident, finally heeded
to requests by some Congress members to return to his seat
from the well.

M.D.M.K. members Ravi Chandran and C. Krishnan also
stormed the well to protest the "genocide" of Tamils in Sri
Lanka.

Earlier in the day, Bahujan Samaj Party (B.S.P.) members
claimed there were "new revelations" made on the Batla House
encounter in Delhi's Jamia Nagar area and demanded a judicial
probe into the incident.

Attacks on north Indians in Mumbai by activists of the
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena led to demands by R.J.D. members
for the arrest of its chief Raj Thackeray on charges of
"treason".

Members of the Samajwadi Party and those of the B.S.P.
were also seen demanding action against activists of the Shiv
Sena and the M.N.S., who allegedly beat up some north Indians
appearing for a Railway Recruitment Board examination in
Mumbai.