Price rise: Oppn stalls Houses as adamant govt blocks voting

“Let there be a deadlock if it comes to that,” sources in the government said. They felt the Opposition would not be able to build a momentum over price rise at least this week,which is packed with important business like the General Budget,Economic Survey and Rail Budget. Their calculation was that the two budgets would throw up numerous issues that would generate public debate and attract attention. The government could then take a call on the issue afresh after Holi.

The big question obviously was — why did the government,enjoying a clear majority,fear a vote even if the Opposition had closed its ranks. One reason was that the Congress was a bit wary of two difficult allies — DMK and Trinamool Congress. But the real source of worry was the Rajya Sabha,where the government could find itself in a clear minority with parties like Samajwadi Party,BSP and RJD working with the Opposition.

What compounded the problem for the Congress was the sudden change of track by the BJP in the Rajya Sabha in a break from the earlier understanding between the government and the Opposition in the presence of Chairman Mohammad Hamid Ansari that the House would suspend Question Hour and take up a short discussion on price rise.

As soon as the Elders met,Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley cited a notice given by his deputy S S Ahluwalia under Rule 167 and 168 — implying voting —and demanded that it be accepted. CPM leader Sitaram Yechury backed the demand even as the Chairman said the discussion was sanctioned under another procedure. There being a deadlock,the Chairman adjourned the House,first till noon,and later for the day.

The atmosphere in the Lok Sabha was so charged up that Opposition members were letting themselves go unmindful of the fact that Speaker Meira Kumar had started reading obituary references. Several members,including Mulayam Singh Yadav (SP),Lalu Prasad Yadav and Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (both RJD),had sprung on their feet even when the Speaker was introducing the new Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj.

Amid thumping of desks from all sides welcoming her,Swaraj pitched in for an adjournment motion. “We want to send a signal to the country that no other work is more important for us than a discussion on rising prices,” she said.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal argued that an issue had to be of recent occurrence to qualify for being debated as an adjournment motion. He said the Opposition could speak on the matter during a discussion on the Presidential Address. The Opposition shouted him down and trooped to the well,forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for half-an-hour.

When it met again,Bansal argued that the issue involved the Centre and state because the state governments were charged with the responsibility to enforce the Essential Commodities Act and run the public distribution system. He offered a debate,but not an adjournment motion. Opposition members again stormed the well and the Speaker adjourned the House for the day.

NDA didn’t allow Sonia’s motion in 2000: Congress

New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday accused the Opposition BJP of poiticising the price rise issue even as party sources pointed out that the NDA government had not allowed an adjournment motion moved by party president Sonia Gandhi 10 years ago. “The government has never run away from discussion,nor will it ever do it. The UPA government has been very sensitive on the issue of price rise and has taken constructive steps to mitigate the woes of the people following the drought,” Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said.

Party sources said that Sonia Gandhi had given a notice for adjournment motion on price rise in April 2000,but it was not accepted. Only four such motions had been admitted during the NDA regime,as against seven in the first term of the UPA government,said sources. ENS