he House carrying placards, Congress, Left, Samajwadi Party and Shiv Sena MPs were up on their feet, some raising slogans.
This happened after Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu said he has not accepted notices given by Shaktisinh Gohil (Congress), Dola Sen (TMC), V Sivadasan, Elamaram Kareem and John Brittas (CPM) under rule 267, requiring setting aside of the listed agenda to take up a discussion.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned twice in the morning session on today, March 22 as Opposition parties, including the Congress and TMC, voiced their protest against the increase in the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas LPG.
With slogan shouting Opposition MPs trooping into the well of the House, proceedings were first adjourned till 12 noon and then till post-lunch.
Petrol and diesel prices were on March 22 hiked by 80 paise a liter each while domestic cooking gas LPG rates were increased by ₹50 per cylinder as state oil firms ended an over four-and-a-half-month election-related hiatus in rate revision, fanning inflation fears.
M Venkaiah Naidu, the Rajya Sabha chairman, said the notice under Rule 267 is not admitted and the matter can be discussed during the demand for grants of ministries concerned. “This is not the way. It will not go on record.” Naidu said as the House was adjourned because of the surplus slogans against the fuel price rise.
Analysts and political parties expect a gradual rise in fuel prices in the coming days to make up for the losses suffered when crude petroleum rates increased after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Hike in cooking gas price as well
- Soon after the House met after the first adjournment, Deputy Chairman Harivansh called for the listed Question Hour to be taken and asked opposition parties to not disrupt the proceedings.
- But by being rigid, the Opposition members shouted slogans, drowning out Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizer Bhagwanth Khuba who was replying to the first listed question.
- The price of cooking gas has also been increased by ₹50 per cylinder.
- The revision is the first since October last year. In his notice to the Rajya Sabha secretariat, Gohil said, “That the House do suspend Zero Hour and relevant rules relating to Question Hour and other business of the day to have a discussion on continuing increases in prices of cooking gas, petrol, and diesel.”
- The notice was moved under Rule 267 of the rules and procedures of the Upper House.
Ruckus created by opposition party members
- Mr. Harivansh asked TMC leader Derek O’Brien to call his party MPs back to their seats and allow Question Hour to proceed, saying precious national resources have been spent.
- Though the house re-assembled after the speaker imposed “hold on” to the session, the Opposition members continuing their protests, he adjourned the proceedings till 2 p.m.
- Earlier in the morning when the House met for Zero Hour proceedings, the Upper House was adjourned for a little less than an hour.
Published by : Aditya Andharia
Edited By : Kritika Kashyap
