For the second consecutive day, a determined opposition on Wednesday forced adjournment of both Houses of Parliament till noon over the issue of price rise. The Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar saying that pricerise was not a specific matter of recent occurrence rejected notices of adjournment from Opposition members and instead allowed a special debate on price rise after Rail Budget was introduced.
Leaders after leaders from opposition parties, including RJD and BSP, lambasted the government for its failure in arresting price rise.
RJD supremo Lalu Prasad warned the government not to hide behind rules as pricerise, he said, was a burning issue. Lalu Prasad said, the entire nation was groaning under high prices of edible commodities but the Centre was trying to shift blame on the state governments.
500 people have died of starvation in Bihar, the former Railway minister alleged. “Aamdani atthani, Kharcha Rupaiya” said Lalu, as he pressed the Speaker to admit the adjournment notices. Lalu said, the Opposition had no aim to dislodge the government, because government has the majority, but the issue had to be discussed under an adjournment motion.
The convenor of National Democratic Alliance, Janata Dal-United chief Sharad Yadav said, the fire of inflation was burning throughout the country and if Parliament did not discuss the issue, the people of this country “will never forgive us”. Yadav also said, the opposition knew, the government had majority, but “we want to vote against this government to register our protest over pricerise”.
Dara Singh Chauhan(BSP), Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI), Rattan Singh Ajnala (Akali Dal), Bhatruhari Mahatab(Biju Janata Dal), Anant Geete(Shiv Sena), Basudeb Achariah(CPI-M), N. Nageshwara Rao (Telugu Desam Party) lambasted the government over price rise and demanded admission of adjournment notices over price rise. Only the Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandopadhyay sided with the government and opposed adjournment motion.
As the Speaker citing past rulings of her predecessors rejected the adjournment notice, citing lack of “specific matter of recent occurrence”, opposition members from all sides entered the well, forcing her to adjourn the house till 12 noon.
The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi sat silently as member after member from the Opposition pilloried the government over price rise.
In the Rajya Sabha, as soon as the House met for the day, BJP members were on their feet demanding discussion on rising food prices under Rule 167, which entails voting.
BJP Deputy Leader S S Ahluwalia said there should be a discussion followed by voting, a demand vehemently opposed by the ruling benches.
Other opposition parties particularly SP, BSP and Left supported the BJP.
Chairman Hamid Ansari requested members to resume their seats and took up the listed question.
But, as the din continued, Ansari said, "We cannot have Question Hour under these circumstances."
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Prithviraj Chavan said the Government was ready for a debate on the issue and a short duration discussion was already listed for today.
He said the Government was ready to discuss price rise even during Question Hour. However, the opposition members were adamant on discussion under Rule 167. As the din continued, Ansari said, "The Chair can't hear anything."
Less than four minutes into the uproar, he adjourned the House till noon.
