Price storm to hit LS

The Lok Sabha is in for price-rise turmoil on Tuesday. The government has rejected the Opposition’s demand for a discussion on price rise through an adjournment motion, which entails voting, and instead offered a general discussion. The Opposition and even some ruling coalition backers, however, are unwilling to relent.

The Lok Sabha is in for price-rise turmoil on Tuesday. The government has rejected the Opposition’s demand for a discussion on price rise through an adjournment motion, which entails voting, and instead offered a general discussion. The Opposition and even some ruling coalition backers, however, are unwilling to relent.

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“If our demand is not accepted, we’ll not allow the House to function,” said Gopinath Munde, BJP’s deputy leader in the Lok Sabha.

The BJP, Left, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Samajwadi Party are expected to give notices for adjournment motion in a bid to put the government on the mat and also expose the fissures in the UPA.

“Yudh ka samay aa gaya hai (it’s war),” said RJD leader Lalu Prasad. His party supports the UPA from the outside.

With allies like the Trinamool Congress and DMK pushing for an early debate, the government — at a meeting of the business advisory committee presided by Speaker Meira Kumar — agreed to a discussion, but under Rule 193 that doesn’t involve voting. It appeared willing to forgo the practice of first taking up the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address.

The government had offered a seven-hour debate, while a discussion under the motion begins at 4 p.m. and ends within two-and-a-half hours, he said.

The Rajya Sabha, too, is expected to take up the issue on Tuesday, with an Opposition leader saying the House would not be allowed to run if the matter was not taken up.

(Inputs from Vikas Pathak)