New Delhi: The Opposition on Wednesday forced adjournments in the Lok Sabha over price rise and GST rate, demanding a debate on the issues in the House.
The House was first adjourned soon after it convened at 11 am and later at 12 noon, following the laying of parliamentary papers on the table of the House.
When the House assembled for the day, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla welcomed a parliamentary delegation from Mozambique which was here to witness the proceedings.
As the Speaker concluded his remarks highlighting cordial relations between India and Mozambique and called for the Question Hour, opposition members trooped into the Well, carrying anti-government placards and shouting slogans.
Birla appealed to the members to go back to their seats and cooperate in running the House.
The opposition also demanded the revocation of the order suspending four MPs.
Congress MPs Manickam Tagore, Ramya Haridas, T N Prathapan and S Jothimani were on Monday suspended for rest of the session for staging protests and carrying placards inside the House.
The speaker tried to run the House despite the protests and allowed Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi to reply to supplementaries related to their respective ministries.
When the protests grew louder, Birla appealed to the opposition members to go back to their seats, saying House rules and regulations were framed by the MPs themselves and they should not violate it.
He said carrying placards and shouting slogans inside the House was not allowed.
Such improper (ashobhaniya) behaviour is not good. You should take part in the debate. This is not good for democracy as well as individually for you. Otherwise, I will have to use the rules framed by you, he said.
The Speaker said people and the assemblies in the country were watching what was happening in this House.
Joshi, who is also the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has returned after recovering from an illness and the government was ready for a debate on price rise on Wednesday itself.
“The opposition does not want to participate in the debate and that is why they are staging protests. Some of the opposition-ruled states did not even reduce taxes on fuel and hence, want to run away from the debate, Joshi said.
As the opposition members continued the protest, the Speaker adjourned the House till 12 noon after about 20 minutes of proceedings.
Similar scenes were witnessed at noon and BJP member Kirit Solanki, who was in the chair, adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm. (PTI)
