Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Wednesday rejected the Opposition demand of adjourning all other business to discuss rising food prices and said it would be taken up only after the Railway budget. This triggered a furore in the Opposition ranks, leading to the House being adjourned.
The Lok Sabha had a nearly 45-minute debate on the admissibility of the adjournment motion, which entails voting and postponement of all other businesses.
Opposition members from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Shiv Sena, Akali Dal and other parties pitched hard for the motion.
But the Speaker refused to accept their pleas.
“I have carefully examined the rules in the last two days and have also heard from the honourable members,” Meira Kumar said in her reply to the debate.
She said price rise was a “burning issue (but) has not risen in the manner of emergency” to be discussed after adjourning the other businesses.
“I am bound by the rules of the House. The issue will be discussed soon after the Railway budget,” she said.
This infuriated the opposition members and they began shouting slogans, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House till noon.
