LUCKNOW, July 25: The Uttar Pradesh Assembly witnessed noisy scenes today with Samajwadi Party (SP) legislators tearing clothes and breaking waist-belts of the marshals in the House.

The trouble started when presiding officer Lalji Varma announced that only those members who had signed a notice demanding action against officials responsible for arresting SP MLA Dharmagya Mishra could speak. Mishra was arrested in Hardoi on April 10 and was kept in jail for 40 days. The issue was raised in the Assembly by Mishra himself.

SP legislators created a ruckus when Varma gave his ruling. Agitated MLAs threw paper missiles at Varma and hurled slippers at him.

When the marshals tried to stop them from climbing on reporters' table and then to Varma's chair, MLAs tore their clothes. Varma then adjourned the House for 45 minutes.

Speaker Kesari Nath Tripathi, condemning the incident when the House met again, demanded unconditional apology from SP members.

Senior SP leader Reoti Raman Singh and Mishra himself tendered an apology while the speaker admonished the members. ``At least 14 crore people of the state have been watching your conduct directly or indirectly and such indecent behaviour lowers the dignity of the legislature,'' Tripathi said.

Earlier, Congress members raised the issue of transfer of senior IAS officials in the state. Congress Legislature Party leader Pramod Tiwari said that it was for the first time that a chief minister had written a transfer order under pressure from Bharatiya Janata Party ministers.

Another Congress leader Jagdambika Pal raised the question of communication gap between ruling partners on the issue of bureaucratic reshuffles.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister B R Varma said there was no threat to the Bahujan Samaj Party-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance. ``This is a matter between ministers and their secretaries and cannot be raised in the House,'' he said.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.