Shiv Sena walks out of Rajya Sabha over Babhali barrage

NEW DELHI - The question hour in the Rajya Sabha witnessed much disturbance Monday as Shiv Sena members staged a walkout when their demand for discussing the Babhali barrage row was not taken up.

As the house met for question hour, the Shiv Sena members led by Manohar Joshi were on their feet, demanding that the Babhali barrage issue be taken up for discussion.

The chair, however, rejected their demand, stating that the matter was sub-judice and hence cannot be taken up in the house.

The Supreme Court had permitted the Maharashtra government to proceed with the project in April 2007. But the apex court is set to take up the issue again this month following protests from Andhra Pradesh.

Despite repeated pleas by the chair, the Shiv Sena members continued to raise the issue and walked out of the house when their demand was not accepted.

Andhra Pradesh has been protesting construction of the barrage, which it says is being built in violation of the river water sharing agreements and would prove detrimental to its interests.

The row over the Babhali barrage had created tension when Maharashtra Police arrested Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu and 74 of his supporters July 17 while they were proceeding towards the barrage. They were kept in judicial custody for four days before being forcibly sent back to Hyderabad by a chartered flight.