Rajya Sabha proceedings adjourned till noon over record high fuel prices

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha proceedings were on Tuesday adjourned for about 40 minutes after opposition parties led by the Congress insisted on a discussion on record high petrol and diesel prices.

Opposition MPs, who had stalled proceedings in the House on the opening day of the second part of the Budget session on Monday, trooped into the well of the House and raised slogans, forcing the chair to adjourn the proceedings till noon.

Soon after the listed official papers were laid on the table, MPs from the opposition Congress, DMK, Left, BSP and Shiv Sena were on their feet seeking setting aside of the business to take up a discussion on the increase in petrol and diesel prices.

Deputy Chairman Shri Harivansh, who was presiding, said notices under rule 267 have been received from Satish Chandra Mishra (BSP), Leader of the Opposition and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, DMK”s Trucchi Siva and Shiv Sena”s Priyanka Chaturvedi.

But the Rajya Sabha chairman had already given his ruling, rejecting the notices under rule 267, and so his decision cannot be reopened, he said.

The issue of fuel prices, he said, can be discussed during the discussion on the working of ministries and finance bill as well as in the short duration discussion sought on the issue.

But Opposition members persisted with their demand and soon gathered in the the well of the House, raising slogans against the government.

Harivansh asked the members to return to their seats and allow zero hour to be taken up where MPs raise issues of public importance.

He then went on to call members who had given zero-hour notice.

But the slogan shouting by opposition continued.

Siva said the issue of relentless rise in petrol and diesel prices has to be discussed.

Bhupendra Yadav of BJP countered him saying the ruling of the chairman is final and cannot be reopened.

Harivansh urged members to return to their places, insisting that the ruling of the chairman who had rejected rule 267 notices seeking suspension of business to take up discussion on fuel prices cannot be reopened or discussed.

With the ruckus continuing, he adjourned the proceedings till 12 noon.

The price of petrol has for the first time crossed the Rs 100 mark in a few places in states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra and is at record highs elsewhere. Diesel rates, too, are at a record high as international oil prices bounced back from the lows of last year.