New Delhi: 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, was assaulted by fellow parliamentarians and taken out of the house by marshals after he sprayed the pungent pepper at startled House members to vent his anger over
the decision to carve out the state of Telangana.

Runny noses, itchy eyes: MPs hold handkerchiefs to their face after being affected by pepper spray.

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. 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 UPA government managed to introduce a bill that would pave the way to carve out
the Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh — precisely the issue over which Rajagopal was protesting. But, the BJP and some others contested this claim.

TDP member M Venugopala, wrenched the speaker’s microphone. He refused to apologise for the behaviour. “No, I didn’t do anything wrong,” the MP said. “I was protesting. How dare they break up Andhra Pradesh?” 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 YS Jaganmohan Reddy, as well as five expelled by the Congress. 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.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day. In the Upper House, Congress member KVP Ramachandra Rao and TDP’s YS Chowdhary and CM Ramesh stood in front of the chairman’s podium holding placards that demanded a “United Andhra Pradesh!”