P C Chako, who was in the chair, said what had happened was unfortunate and unbecoming of the House. ``This is amazing,'' said a visitor who had come to the gallery with his wife and children. ``We thought only pornogrpahic books and magazines publish such language.''

It all started when Laloo Prasad Yadav got up to speak during the discussion on Goa and criticised Home Minister L K Advani who was in the House. ``Advani had single-handedly,'' he said, ``masterminded the conspiracy to pull down the Rabri Devi Government in Bihar. He wanted to become Sardar Patel but look what's happened. ``Chaubeji chale the chhabbebanne, ban gaye dube.''

The remark provoked a mild protest from BJP members and the Speaker ruled there was nothing unparliamentary about what Laloo said. However, in next few minutes, as Laloo continued with his tirade, the Treasury benches decided enough was enough. There were clearly four main characters: Laloo and Mulayam (the latter egging on other RLM members towards the well of the House) from the RLM side and Chandra Prakash Tripath and Vijay Shanker Shastri of the BJP.

Peace returned to the House after over five minutes. But the anger simmered for long. Laloo later summed up the mood of his partymen when he fumed: Tum agar ek gali doge to hum tum pur 101 gali thokenge (If you abuse us once, we shall abuse you 101 times).

While it was difficult to get what actually triggered the ugly encounter in the House, The physical clash that seemed inevitable at one point was averted when several MPs from other parties rushed toward the well and pushed agitated RLM colleagues to their benches. DMK's T RBalu was one such member.