Members cutting across party lines in the Rajya Sabha today made a forceful demand for a special financial package to backward states in the country. As soon as the House met for the day, Kiranmay Nanda of Samajwadi Party raised the issue demanding implementation of the Raghuram Rajan Committee report on special status for seven backward states along with financial package. K C Tyagi of the Janata Dal (United) accused the Centre of not taking any action on the report.

Ravi Shankar Prasad of the BJP charged the government with discrimination among the states for allocation of funds. Mayawati of the BSP criticized Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh for not taking cognizance of the backwardness of the seven states while announcing a special package for Seemandhra.

She also demanded similar package for the newly created Telangana state. Sukhendu Shekhar Roy of the Trinamool Congress charged the UPA government with political vendetta against the Trinamool congress-ruled West Bengal. He said the state has been deprived of the economic packages recommended by the Raghuram Rajan Committee.

Tapan Sen of the CPIM, V Maitreyan of the AIADMK, N K Singh of the JD(U) and Shashi Bhushan Behera of the Biju Janata Dal also raised the issue. Members belonging to Samajwadi Party shouted slogans demanding special package for Uttar Pradesh and JD(U) members for Bihar forcing the adjournment of the House for 40 minutes till noon.

Before adjourning the House, Chairman Mohammed Hamid Ansari observed that the Question Hour has been converted into Grievances