The issue of price rise created uproar in Parliament on the first working day of Budget session with a determined opposition demanding an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha and a debate under a rule that entails voting in the Rajya Sabha.
It was trouble from the word go in both the Houses as members of opposition parties closed ranks over Government's "failure" in checking rising food prices. The two Houses were adjourned till 12 noon.
In the Lok Sabha, soon after the obituary references and introduction of new Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj, opposition members demanded admission of an adjournment motion.
Swaraj used her thanksgiving speech to target the government on the issue of rising prices and justified the demand saying several discussions under Rule 193 in the previous and the current Lok Sabha had "failed" to have the desired effect on the government. Discussions under Rule 193 do not entail voting.
She said despite the opposition demanding an adjournment motion it was surprising that discussion on the matter found no mention in the List of Business of the House.
Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav described price rise as a serious challenge and said 25 per cent of the population will not be able to celebrate the upcoming festival of Holi due to price hike of essential commodities. "I am surprised the government has not been able to give a satisfactory answer to this problem," he said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal contended that the issue could be discussed in detail during the 12-hour debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address.
He said the government was prepared to have a nine-hour discussion on the issue of price rise while any matter can be discussed only for two-and-a-half hours under the adjournment motion.
Chaos broke out the moment Bansal said, "Adjournment Motion could not be admitted simply because....." The minister was unable to complete his sentence as Speaker Meira Kumar adjourned the House till 12:00 noon amid the uproar. When the House met again, the uproar continued and members from SP, RJD, Left came to the well. The Speaker adjourned the House till Wednesday.
In the Rajya Sabha, Opposition BJP, Left and SP closed ranks to force an hour-long adjournment of the Rajya Sabha over Government's "failure" in checking rising prices.
Soon after new member Anil Kumar Sahani (JD-U) took oath, the entire opposition was on its feet seeking discussion on the issue under a rule which entails voting.
Chairman Hamid Ansari requested the members to resume their seats while allowing Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley to make his point.
Jaitley said his party had given two notices - one for suspension of Question Hour to take up issue of rise in food prices and the second on a discussion under Rules 167 and 168, a demand rejected by the treasury benches.
Sitaram Yechury (CPM) said the opposition was "very very agitated" on the issue and discussion should be held under substantial motion.
Ansari said there was consensus on discussion on the issue but not on procedure. A short duration discussion on the issue is listed later in the day, he pointed out. PTI
