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Both Houses adjourned for the day

Parliament remained paralysed for the fourth consecutive day Thursday over the petrol pump allotment issue with a united Opposition now demanding resignation of Prime Minister A B Vajpayee. Amidst uproarious scenes both Houses were adjourned for the day.

In the Lok Sabha a combined Opposition, which till Wednesday was demanding the resignation of Petroleum Minister Ram Naik, on Thursday, trained its guns on the prime minister and sought his resignation.

Congress, Samajwadi Party and Left party members trooped into the well raising anti-government slogans immediately after Speaker Manohar Joshi condoled Tuesday's killings of nine Amarnath pilgrims, welcomed a visiting Surinamese delegation and lauded the performance of the Indian team at the just concluded Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

Vajpayee was not present in the House. Leader of the Opposition Sonia Gandhi, like in the past three days, sat through the din. Naik was also seated in the front row of Treasury Benches.

In Rajya Sabha, Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptulla was heard saying, "Should we adjourn the House sine die, if you are not willing to allow the House to run."

Even before she took her seat the vociferous Opposition was on its feet demanding action against the guilty. "At least allow me to say Namsakar", she said.

Amid the din, Telegu Desam Party members suggested that the House be adjourned till Monday.

Heptulla put forward the members's suggestion to the House and on finding no response, adjourned the House till Friday within three minutes after it assembled.

Before the Upper House met, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Promod Mahajan was seen talking to Congress members and urging them to allow the House to function.

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