• 30 Jul 2022 03:18 PM
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Price rise debate in Lok Sabha likely on Monday amid Opposition protests

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NEW DELHI : The Lok Sabha had been marred with several adjournments since it commenced the monsoon session on 18 July. Opposition MPs were suspended after they protested about the price rise in the nation. The suspended MPs since then has been on a 50 hour day night protest in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue to open dialogue on the issue of price rise in India.

NEW DELHI : The Lok Sabha had been marred with several adjournments since it commenced the monsoon session on 18 July. Opposition MPs were suspended after they protested about the price rise in the nation. The suspended MPs since then has been on a 50 hour day night protest in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue to open dialogue on the issue of price rise in India. 

On Friday, officials of the parliaments said that the lower house will discuss the matter of price rise on Monday, followed by a discussion in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. 

The Opposition in both the House had been raising the issue of rising prices and GST, leading to near washout of proceedings. The protest has almost crippled the parliamentarian progress. 

The last two days of House proceedings were drowned due to "rashtrapatni" remark of Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and the subsequent Lok Sabha chamber face-off between Sonia Gandhi and Union minister Smriti Irani.

Chowdhury wrote to President Droupadi Murmu on Friday and apologised to her for his "rashtrapatni" remark.

The Congress has upped the ante on Irani over the alleged heckling of Gandhi by her and BJP MPs and organised protests inside and outside Parliament and demanded that she be sacked for her behaviour.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi had this week told Lok Sabha that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has recovered from Covid and was attending Parliament. Thus, the government was willing to hold debate on price rise immediately.

Further tension rose when Shehzad Ponawalla alleged that protesting MPs have been eating 'tandoori chicken' in front of the Gandhi statue, which he said is much against the principles of Mahatma Gandhi himself. 

Meanwhile, amid protests by the Opposition over several issues, action will now be taken against 'placard holders' in the Rajya Sabha from now on, said sources.

As per the Parliamentary Customs and Conventions as codified in the 'Handbook for the Members of Rajya Sabha', "Production of exhibits on the Floor of the House is not in order" and the Members are required to note and observe these customs and conventions.

Both the government and the Opposition have accused each other of "running away" from a debate on the issue.

But political sources said on Friday that normal House proceedings would resume from Monday and the debate could first take place in the lower house, followed by the upper house.