By IANS,
New Delhi : The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day Thursday afternoon following three earlier adjournments on a demand from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and other opposition members for a discussion on price rise under a rule that entails voting.
The issue was raised by members of the BSP, the Left and the Janata Dal-United soon after the house met for the day in the morning. Samajwadi Party members also demanded a discussion on price rise.
With the government insisting on a short-duration discussion and the opposition members not relenting on their demand for discussion under Rule 167, the chair adjourned the house first shortly after 11 a.m., then at noon when it re-assembled, and again at 2 p.m., before the adjournment for the day around 2.35 p.m.
When the house met at 2 p.m. after its second adjournment, BSP members were up on their feet demanding that the discussion should be held under Rule 167.
BSP leader Satish Chandra Misra said that the house had seen many discussions over the last two years on price rise but it had not led to improvement in the situation. He insisted that the discussion should take place with voting.
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s deputy leader in the house S.S. Ahluwalia said his party had given notice for a discussion on price rise and black money under Rule 167.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the government cared for the feelings of members and would seriously consider their suggestions during discussion. But he said the discussion should be on Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s statement made in the house Wednesday.
As the stalemate continued, the house was first adjourned till 2.35 p.m. and then for the day.
The house witnessed similar stalemate Wednesday.
The BSP members earlier were joined by those from the Left and the Janata Dal-United. As they continued pressing their demand, Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan adjourned the house for half an hour.
The house earlier saw adjournments on the same issue after it met at 11 a.m. and noon.
Speaking to reporters outside the house, Misra took a dig at Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, who at present is touring BSP-ruled Uttar Pradesh. Misra said Gandhi was not present in parliament when it was taking up crucial issues like price rise.