Agencies/New Delhi

Indian politics touched a new low yesterday as an Andhra Pradesh MP opposed to Telangana used pepper spray in the Lok Sabha, triggering unprecedented clashes and leaving 16 MPs suspended for turning parliament into a house of shame.
Lagadapati Rajagopal, one of six MPs expelled from the Congress this week, was assaulted by fellow parliamentarians and taken out of the lower house by marshals after he sprayed the pungent pepper at startled lawmakers to vent his anger over the decision to carve out Telangana state.
During what turned out to be another tumultuous day in parliament over Telangana, MPs came to blows, a mike was ripped out, glass shattered and a computer was smashed.
Both Speaker Meira Kumar and leaders of political parties described yesterday’s turmoil as a blot on Indian democracy. Janata Dal-United’s Sharad Yadav branded Rajagopal’s conduct as sedition.
“This is an attack on our democracy and it is nothing short of sedition,” said Yadav, who was in the Lok Sabha when Rajagopal did the unthinkable.
“If the strongest action is not taken, it will be difficult for parliament to run.”
Rajagopal’s frenzy sent scores of MPs and Lok Sabha officials - and journalists in the media gallery - running for cover, coughing violently and with a burning sensation in their eyes.
A pungent odour enveloped the house, adding to the chaos caused by the unending sloganeering and disruptions since morning.
Amid the commotion, the government managed to introduce a bill that would pave the way to carve out a Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh - precisely the issue over which Rajagopal was protesting. But the Bharatiya Janata Party and some others contested this claim.
In the confusion Telugu Desam Party member M Venugopala, who too is against Andhra Pradesh’s breakup, was accused of brandishing a knife in the chamber, a claim he denied.
“I pulled the microphone in front of my seat, not a knife. Why apologise? I will not apologise,” Venugopala said adding: “How dare they break up Andhra Pradesh?”
Rajagopal was equally defiant over firing the pepper spray, saying he used the can in self-defence after other MPs “pounced” on him.
“They started attacking me. So immediately as a self-defence, I used the pepper spray,” Rajagopal told reporters.
Sixteen Lok Sabha MPs were suspended for five days. They included five of the Congress, four of the TDP, two of the YSR Congress including its leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy as well as five expelled by the Congress this week.
The Lok Sabha did meet again but there was no normalcy. Andhra Pradesh MPs again walked towards the speaker shouting slogans, joined by Tamil Nadu members equally angry over the attacks on their fishermen by the Sri Lanka Navy.
Amid the renewed chaos, an Andhra MP collapsed and was rushed to hospital.
If all this wasn’t enough, supporters and opponents of Telangana fought with one another outside the house, leaving an unspecified number injured.
The Rajya Sabha, which too witnessed noisy disturbances, was adjourned for the day. And so was the Lok Sabha.
In the upper house, Congress member K V P Ramachandra Rao and TDP’s Y S Chowdhary and C M Ramesh stood in front of the chairman’s podium holding placards that demanded a “United Andhra Pradesh!”
TDP’s Gundu Sudha Rani and some Congress leaders in turn flashed a placard seeking Telangana.
Parliamentarians are never frisked when they enter parliament, but yesterday’s incidents have sparked calls to change the rules.
The Lok Sabha developments drew widespread condemnation.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said yesterday’s ruckus “is a big blot on our parliamentary democracy... It is a very shameful act.”
Said Meira Kumar: “Our democracy is admired throughout the world. What has happened today is a blot.”
Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde promised “strict action” against the MPs.
Rajagopal and other MPs from the Seemandhra region are bitterly opposed to the division of Andhra Pradesh.
They have been staging noisy protests in the Lok Sabha right from the day it convened on February 5, leaving both houses crippled day after day.
The BJP and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) blamed the Congress for the chaos, saying the ruling party was not unable to rein in its own ministers and MPs.
BJP leader L K Advani, one of India’s most experienced parliamentarians, described the events as “disgraceful.”
Cabinet last week approved the creation of Telangana after a decades-long and sometimes violent campaign.
Mainly tribal groups have demanded Telangana be carved out of a northern, impoverished and drought-prone part of Andhra Pradesh, which supporters say has long been neglected by successive state governments.
But wealthier regions of Andhra Pradesh, home to IT giants including Google and Microsoft in its capital Hyderabad, have strongly opposed the split because they say it would create economic upheaval.
Security at parliament had been high before the bill’s introduction after one MP threatened to set himself on fire in protest.
Observers say the Congress government moved on Telangana in hopes of winning much-needed votes in the region at national elections in coming months. But they have warned the move may backfire amid an intensifying political battle in Andhra Pradesh.
Violent demonstrations have erupted there since Congress announced the move last July, while three federal ministers have resigned in protest.
Outside parliament yesterday, ugly clashes broke out between supporters of the Telangana and police.
Police dragged away protesters and bundled them into buses.
Congress has denied trying to seek any political advantage from splitting Andhra Pradesh, insisting it is trying to fulfil a longstanding pledge.
There will be no parliament session today on account of a holiday.