The government on Thursday deferred the introduction of the Prevention of Cruelty to Cows Bill, 2003, in the Lok Sabha.

It will convene an all-party meeting to arrive at a consensus on the issue, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told the House.

The decision came following uproarious scenes in the House as soon as Speaker Manohar Joshi asked Agriculture Minister Rajnath Singh to move the bill.

As several opposition members vehemently protested against the government move, the speaker adjourned the House for ten minutes.

Trouble again erupted after the House reassembled with the Left parties and Muslim League vociferously opposing the legislation, even as the speaker ruled that the House was not taking up the Bill.

Anil Basu (Communist Party of India-Marxist) and some other members were seen tearing papers they claimed were copies of the bill.

The bill was also strongly opposed by senior Janata Dal-United member Devendra Prasad Yadav, who did not even favour its introduction.

In the midst of the din, CPI-M leader Somnath Chatterjee was heard telling Swaraj: "We want to expose this government. You do not talk about consensus in this case."