New Delhi: After deliberation during the lunch break, the Lok Sabha Speaker has rejected the Opposition's demand for a vote on the price rise issue and adjourned the House for the day.
This after Parliament was rocked by more disruptions on Wednesday, as a united Opposition kept its guns trained firmly on the UPA government over rising prices and the ruling UPA dug in its heals refusing to say yes to a vote.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned earlier as the Opposition stalled proceedings.
In the Lok Sabha, after protracted arguments on why an adjournment motion should be allowed on the issue and why not, Speaker Meira Kumar said she would decide after the lunch break. An adjournment motion entails a discussion and a vote. When the House reopened at 2 pm, the Speaker disallowed notice for an adjournment motion.
Earlier, raising the issue, the BJP remained firm on its demand for a vote and Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj said there was no point in debates on an issue so critical to the common man unless the government was bound by a motion of Parliament.
Replying, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee argued against the adjournment motion, saying such a motion should be allowed if the Central government had failed to discharge its duties. This government had not failed, he said.
"I had the compulsion to increase petrol prices...There has not been any failure of the government in general...If financial discipline is not restored, if normal law is performed, that is the government's responsibility," the minister said.
Pranab said the government was all for discussing the issue in detail without the vote.
The government's argument has been that a price rise was already voted on in a Cut Motion in April, which it sailed through.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh too was present in the House on Wednesday. The Congress, taking no chances, issued a whip asking all ministers and UPA allies to be present. The ministers were told to vigorously defend the government.
The Congress also issued a whip to its MPs to be present in Parliament with the Opposition bent on pressing for an adjournment motion. (Price rise storm: Congress issues whip to MPs)
Both the Left and the BJP had submitted separate notices asking for an adjournment motion.
