New Delhi, Dec. 1: Bahujan Samaj Party MPs demanding the dismissal of the Mulayam Singh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh over the desecration of a B.R. Ambedkar statue in Kanpur stalled Parliament several times today.

Some Congress members also joined the slogan-shouting BSP MLAs in the Lok Sabha. The Samajwadi Party members hit back with screams that matched their rivals’ decibels. Polls in the state are due early next year.

In the Rajya Sabha, BSP chief Mayavati led the protest over the desecration.

In both the Houses, the first adjournment came minutes after the day’s business began.

BSP members first sought the suspension of question hour to allow them time to speak on the statue defacement. Before a decision could be taken, the slogan-shouting began. Some members rushed to the well, forcing the presiding officers to adjourn proceedings.

The Lok Sabha couldn’t take up business because of lack of quorum: not enough members were present.

BSP members, who eventually walked out in the afternoon, demanded a CBI probe into the desecration. The Samajwadi Party objected, saying the agency should then investigate all such incidents.

“Babasaheb desh ke, nahin kisi ek ke” (Ambedkar belonged to the nation, not to a group),” party members chanted.

In the Rajya Sabha, minister of state for parliamentary affairs Suresh Pachauri moved a resolution condemning the desecration. In the Lok Sabha, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee led members in the condemnation.

But this was not enough for BSP members. “Babasaheb ka yeh apman, nahin sahega Hindustan (India can’t take this insult to Baba Saheb),” its members bellowed.

Chatterjee agreed to a discussion immediately after question hour. But BSP’s Brajesh Pathak, who began with a speech, soon switched to slogans. “This is unfortunate. You are insulting Ambedkar,” the Speaker said after his requests went unheeded in the bedlam.