Bhopal, Mar 5: Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Himmat Kothari today informed the Assembly that the government had taken serious note of an assault on a member and a whole-hearted endeavour was underway to net the accused. Replying to the call attention notice of Rajnarayan Singh Purni (Congress), the Minister said, ''a special police team - led by a sub-divisional officer - has been formed to conduct an inquiry. A Rs 10,000 reward was announced for information about the accused.'' Dissatisfied over the response, the Congress staged a walkout.

Pointing out that a gunman was severely injured and his carbine snatched during the assault, Purni (Cong) alleged that the law and order situation had collapsed and added that the police administration was rendered ineffective courtesy political interference.

A remark by Manoj Patel (Bharatiya Janata Party) was expunged by Speaker Ishwardas Rohani who said, ''this is a case of assault on a member and should be taken seriously.'' Purni lamented that though the Chief Minister was informed about the assault neither were the accused arrested nor his bodyguard Shyam Kumar's weapon recovered. He demanded a probe by an officer of the rank of additional director-general. Purni was targeted by unidentified ruffians on the Bhopal-Narmada Nagar road on January 24.

Member tears calendar

By Our Staff Reporter

Bhopal, Mar 5: The Madhya Pradesh Assembly today witnessed an opposition member tearing a copy of a government calendar in protest against an allegedly wrong date, regarding Mahatma Gandhi's life, being printed in it.

Samajwadi Party state President Narayan Tripathi waved the calendar, tore it to bits and threw those in the house itself. The dramatic act earned a stern reprimand from Speaker Ishwardas Rohani who described the member's behaviour as unparliamentary.

Immediately after question hour, Tripathi began waving the calendar and speaking. The Speaker objected and expunged all his remarks. Refusing to calm down, the member went on to tear the calendar. Ramlakhan Sharma (Communist Party of India-Marxist) and Ramnivas Rawat (Congress) picked up the bits, Tripathi calmed down and resumed his seat.

During question hour also, the Speaker adopted a firm stance several times to calm members. ''You should comprehend parliamentary procedures,'' Rohani warned Kishore Samrite (SP). The warning came after Samrite gave a negative reply when asked to resume his seat after supplementary questions.