Price rise forces Rajya Sabha adjournment for the day

The rising prices of essential commodities Tuesday forced two adjournments of the Rajya Sabha, the second one for the day, with an agitated opposition demanding that the issue be discussed as a "substantial motion".

The rising prices of essential commodities Tuesday forced two adjournments of the Rajya Sabha, the second one for the day, with an agitated opposition demanding that the issue be discussed as a "substantial motion".

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The trouble began as soon as the house assembled for the day at 11 a.m. with Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanding that the issue be discussed under rules 167 and 168 which entail voting and recording of the sense of the house.

He said the opposition had moved two motions: one for suspension of the question hour and the other for a discussion on the price rise issue.

With the opposition and the ruling Congress MPs engaged in verbal barracking, Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Hamid Ansari said there had been a consensus on a discussion but not on the procedure.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Prithviraj Chavan attempted to intervene but was shouted down, prompting Ansari to adjourn the house at 11.10 a.m. till noon.

The din continued when the house reassembled and Deputy chairman K. Rehman Khan called for official papers to be laid. He then adjourned the house for the day.