Fuel price hike stalls Rajya Sabha, no business conducted

Protest over continuous hike in fuel prices brought the Rajya Sabha to a standstill on Monday, as Opposition parties demanded that an immediate discussion be held on the issue even as notices for the same were rejected by Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu.

No business could be taken up following the Opposition protest over the demand for suspending the business to discuss a fuel price hike. Trinamool Congress floor leader Derek O'Brien meanwhile sought a motion to be moved demanding the government to pass the Women's, Reservation Bill.

"Today the combined Opposition forced an adjournment of the Rajya Sabha for the entire day on the issue of continuing hike in petrol, diesel, cooking gas, and also increase in prices of other essential commodities, especially edible oil and fertilisers," Congress Chief Whip Jairam Ramesh tweeted.

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There were two adjournments in the morning session while Vice Chairman Sasmit Patra's attempt to allow Labour Minister Bhupender Yadav to reply to a discussion on the working of the Ministry of Labour and Employment in the afternoon session did not succeed.

As the official papers were laid on the table, Naidu informed the House that notices by Congress' KC Venugopal, DMK's Tiruchi Siva, Trinamool Congress' Abir Ranjan Biswas, CPI's Binoy Viswam to suspend business to discuss fuel price hike were not allowed.

This led to protests from the entire Opposition benches, prompting Naidu to adjourn the House till 12 noon. When the House re-assembled, similar scenes repeated and the House was adjourned.

At 2 pm, the Opposition MPs were on their feet again demanding the discussion on the fuel prices while O'Brien wanted the House to take up the issue of reservation for women in the House.

However, Vice Chairman Sasmit Patra called Labour Minister Yadav to reply to the discussion of the working of the Ministry of Labour and Employment. The Opposition protest was relentless.

Amid the din, Patra allowed former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda to speak but as the Opposition continued to protest, he could not speak. O'Brien alleged that a former Prime Minister was being used to bring the House in order.

As the sloganeering continued, Patra adjourned the House till Tuesday morning at 11:00 am.

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