New Delhi, July 29: Continuing its boycott, the entire opposition in Rajya Sabha today staged a walkout amidst procedural wranglings when Defence Minister George Fernandes rose to make a statement on the terrorist attack on army camp at Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir. The house witnessed uproarious scenes as opposition members objected to the chair taking up the last item, Fernandes' statement, skipping other listed business slated for the day.

When Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptulla asked Fernandes to make his statement, Suresh Pachauri (Cong) and others belonging to left parties strongly protested against this.

They were countered by treasury benches leading to noisy scenes lasting 10 minutes. As Heptulla said the government with the permission of the chair could alter the business any point of time, the opposition staged a walkout.

With opposition benches empty, independent member Shanker Roy Chowdhury, seeking clarifications on Fernandes' statement, suggested the future strategy of government should be based on the pattern of the attacks.

Responding to the former army chief's suggestion, Fernandes said efforts were on in this direction.

Fernandes, who made an identical statement in the Lok Sabha earlier in the day, said stringent action would be taken if any security lapse was found in connection with the attack on the army camp. Bureau Report