No reduction in security to leaders, says govt

New Delhi, Jul 23 (PTI) Reports of scaling down of
security cover to Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati
on Thursday created a storm in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of
Indian Parliament) which witnessed two adjournments over the
issue.

The matter was resolved when the government assured the
members that there would be no reduction in the security to
four leaders including the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.

The House plunged into turmoil as soon as it met for
the day with agitated BSP members storming the well to
register their protest leading to disruption of the Question
Hour.

Before adjourning the House till noon, an upset Chairman
Hamid Ansari said "this is an extraordinary example of
indiscipline in the House. The rights of members are being
violated."

When the House reassembled, Minister of State of
Parliamentary Affairs Prithviraj Chavan assured the members
that security cover of leaders mentioned in their notice would
not be reduced.

To this BSP members wanted to know the names of the
leaders. As the din continued, the House was adjourned for 15
minutes.

When it met again, Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan informed
that there would be no reduction in the security provided to
Mayawati, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Murli Manohar
Joshi, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad.
The House then took up the listed business. PTI