The issue of fuel price hike rocked Parliament on Monday with opposition members in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha disrupting proceedings, demanding an immediate roll back.
Several parties protested against the price hike with SP, Left, Trinamool Congress and AIADMK storming the Well of the Lok Sabha, while BJP members were on their feet.
In the Rajya Sabha, the entire NDA — BJP, JD—U, SAD and Shiv Sena — protested as also the Left parties along with AGP and BSP. SP members were in the aisle raising slogans.
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“Roll back price hike in petrol,” the opposition members chanted in both the Houses.
While the Lok Sabha witnessed two adjournments, the Rajya Sabha saw three.
Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP) accused the government of insulting Parliament by announcing the decision of petrol hike outside when the House was in session.
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“This is insult to your dignity. This relates to the dignity of Parliament. Can you take Parliament so lightly?” Mr. Prasad asked in the Upper House pointing towards the Chair and the treasury benches.
Supporting the BJP member, Naresh Agarwal (SP) raised a point of order saying it has been an established practice that if the government has to make any policy announcement it has to be in Parliament when the session is on.
“The Chair has given ruling many a time that a minister should not make any announcement outside Parliament when the session is on. This is an insult of the House. The government announced outside Parliament that petrol prices have been raised....,” he said.
The members were not satisfied with the response of Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla that there was no violation of the parliamentary tradition as the hike is being done by petroleum companies since the prices are de-regulated.
In the Lok Sabha, Speaker Meira Kumar ordered the tabling of papers listed for the day in the din before adjourning the House till 2 pm.
Similar was the story in the Upper House.