First day of second part of Budget Session a washout
The first day of the second part of the Budget Session of Parliament was virtually washed out due to the uproar created by the Opposition over fuel price rise.
In the Rajya Sabha, while the Congress wanted a discussion right away on the issue, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu did not allow and said the matter could be raised during debate on the appropriation Bill in the coming days.
In the Lok Sabha, members of the Congress, the Shiv Sena, the Indian Union Muslim League gave adjournment motion notices over the continuous rise in petrol, diesel and LPG prices. After Speaker Om Birla rejected notices of adjournment motion moved by Opposition members over the issue, they started raising slogans.
Birla appealed to protesting members several times to let the House function so that women members can raise their issues on International Women’s Day, but as the din continued around 5.15 pm, he adjourned the Lok Sabha till 7 pm.
The Congress made its intentions clear on disrupting the proceedings as soon as the Rajya Sabha met for the first day of the second half of the Budget Session. The newly-elected Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge raised the issue and sought a discussion on the “burning issue.”
“This is very important issue and it is a burning subject. Throughout the country, people are agitated,” Kharge said. Petrol prices touched nearly `100 a litre while diesel rates were more than `80 per litre and LPG prices also increased, he said adding the Government had collected `21 lakh crore by putting excise duty and cess on petroleum products.
He said farmers and people were suffering because of rise in prices but the Chairman did not allow his notice under Rule 267 to suspend business for the day and discuss the issue.
Naidu reiterated that the members will get ample opportunity to put the Government on the mat on the issue during the forthcoming debates.
He also said the Chair did not want to take drastic action on the first day of the session and asked the agitated members to let the House run.
The Opposition, however, did not oblige him and started shouting slogans forcing the Chairman to adjourn the House till 11 am. Similar scenes were witnessed when the House reassembled with Kharge again seeking a discussion.
When Deputy Chairman Harivansh clarified that Naidu’s ruling was final and the Opposition could raise the issue later, the senior Congress leader said it was important to discuss the matter immediately as people were suffering due to the frequent increase in fuel prices.
As the Chair decided to continue with the legislative business, Opposition members started shouting slogans forcing the Deputy Chairman to adjourn the House till 1 pm. The House was ultimately adjourned for the day shortly thereafter without transacting any business.
Some of the Bills listed by the Government for this session include the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development Bill, Electricity (Amendment) Bill, and Crypto Currency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill.
Tuesday, 09 March 2021 | PNS | New Delhi
