The Lok Sabha was on Thursday adjourned for the day amidst uproarious scenes as Congress members stormed the well of the house expressing dissatisfaction over the government's response on the issue of divestment in oil majors HPCL and BPCL.

Earlier, angry Congress, Samajwadi Party and Left party members stalled the Question Hour for about 15 minutes, seeking a statement from the government explaining the necessity of divesting HPCL and BPCL.

As soon as the House assembled in the morning, the members were on their feet protesting government's move to disinvest these units and threatened that they would not cooperate in smooth conduct of the proceedings.

In an apparent reference to the differences within the ruling alliance, former prime minister Chandrashekhar regretted that some members were speaking in different voices inside and outside Parliament. The time has come when those opposing divestments came out openly, he said.

Shiv Sena leader Chandrakant Khaire pointed out that even Petroleum Minister Ram Naik was opposed to divestment, which could lead to about 9,000 Maharashtrians losing their jobs.

Khaire cautioned the BJP to stop the exercise saying otherwise the country would vote for the Congress in the next elections. The government, he said, should stick to the position that profit-making PSUs should not be sold.

CPI-M leader Somnath Chatterjee said even within the BJP, there was only one 'isolated' section, which was pressing for divestment and cited the opinion of several retired judges and lawyers who had opposed the exercise.

While BPCL had made a profit of Rs 8.5 billion (Rs 850 crore), HPCL had made a profit of Rs 7.8 billion (Rs 780 crore), he said, adding the government should come out with a clear-cut assurance that it would not do anything without informing Parliament.

RJD member Raghuvansh Prasad Singh accused the government of bowing to the dictates of Reliance Industries Limited and selling off the country's precious assets to private operators.

Congress Deputy leader Shivraj V Patil said the government was speaking in different voices and not respecting the majority view of the House.

His party colleague Margaret Alva demanded that the Solicitor General be summoned to the bar of the House to explain the legal position to members.

Ajay Chakraborty (CPI-M) wanted the government to rescind its decision to divest these two oil PSUs.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who rose to respond, was not allowed to give the government's stand as opposition members insisted on having their say.