New Delhi: Parliament failed to conduct any worthwhile business on Wednesday, the third consecutive day in this monsoon session, amid noisy protests from opposition members demanding a discussion on “spiralling” inflation and the imposition of the Goods and Services Tax on more items.
In the Lok Sabha, high pitch sloganeering from the opposition members foiled the chair’s brief attempts to proceed with the question hour and zero hour, while the government’s announcement that it was ready to hold a short duration discussion on price rise failed to pacify opposition members in the Rajya Sabha, who wanted the matter to be taken up without any delay. Both houses were then adjourned for the day.
In the Lok Sabha, opposition MPs who had been carrying placards with them to the well of the House over the past two days, on Wednesday added to their protest ‘accessories’ some displaying packets of milk and curd to drive home the point of higher GST on these items.
Speaker Om Birla rejected the notices moved by opposition MPs demanding suspension of the listed business and urged them to raise their concerns after the question hour.”I want to tell those members who are indulging in sloganeering that they should take part in the discussion. The people of the country want Parliament to function,” he said.
But this did not convince agitated MPs to return to their seats, parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi said.
In the Rajya Sabha, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said he has rejected the notices given by opposition members under Rule 267 to suspend listed business and take up the issue of price rise. However, he accepted the request of leader of the opposition Mallikarjun Kharge to “mention” the issue in a few words. Kharge said the price of all essential commodities – from pencil to milk – has gone up, affecting not just women but children and the old. The 1.4 billion people of the country are suffering due to price rise, he added.
“Due to this, the living conditions of the common man are worsening. After LPG, petrol and diesel, there has been a big jump in the price of pre-packed food, wheat, rice, milk products, honey, jaggery and other items,” Kharge said.