Trinamool MPs stall House on LPG issue

Trinamool Congress members stalled Lok Sabha proceedings on Thursday on the issue of cap on subsidised LPG cylinders.

Carrying placards and raising slogans against the government, a group of TMC members, led by its whip Kalyan Banerjee, assembled in the well of the House and stayed put there for some time forcing Speaker Meira Kumar to adjourn the House till 2 p.m.

Earlier, when Trinamool member Sultan Ahmed, who quit as the Minister of State for Tourism, formally announced the reason for his decision under Rule 199 (personal statement), the Speaker asked him to stick to the statement.

She told him: “Whatever statement you have finalised with our consent, you have to kindly read it. Please, do not go beyond that.”

Mr. Ahmed, in his statement, said the government’s decision to allow 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail, increase the price of diesel and cap subsidised LPG cylinders were reasons for his decision to quit.

Another Trinamool member and former Minister Saugata Roy, raising a point of order, referred to Rule 199 (3) and wondered why no Minister had reacted to Mr. Ahmed‘s statement.