The issue of Sri Lankan Tamils forced repeated adjournments of both the Houses of Parliament today. The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day to meet on 22nd April after the recess. The Rajya Sabha, which witnessed two adjournments, was finally adjourned for the day amidst noisy scenes.

As soon as the two Houses reassembled at Noon after the first adjournment, DMK and AIADMK members again trooped into the well displaying placards on the alleged betrayal of Sri Lankan Tamils during the voting in the UN Human Rights Council meeting yesterday. In the midst of din, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid tabled a statement on the return of the two Italian marines to India in the fishermen killing case.

He said the Supreme Court will be informed about the recent developments on the issue. The Minister said the two marines will not be arrested since they will have fulfilled the conditions laid down by the Supreme Court for their release to travel to Italy for four weeks. Mr Khurshid said New Delhi has allayed the apprehension of the Italian government that this case does not fall under the category of the rarest of rare cases and will not attract death penalty.

The Rajya Sabha witnessed unprecedented scenes in the post-lunch session when it re-assembled at 2.30 PM. The agitating AIADMK members snatched papers from the presiding officer's chair and pulled out mikes from the chair's desk.

The protests by the AIADMK and DMK members in the well turned unruly as the presiding officer Mrs. Renuka Chowdhury continued with the Private Members business amidst the din. When the chair did not heed the protesting members, who also displayed pictures of the slain son of former LTTE chief Pirbhakaran, the DMK and AIADMK members, getting provoked by some comments from the chair, barged to the chair's desk from both flanks. Marshals tried in vain to stop the damage. Ms. Chowdhury adjourned the House to meet again on 22nd April after a month-long recess.