LPG, petrol, diesel price hike rocks Parliament, both Houses adjourned

Opposition parties including the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Shiv Sena and Congress resorted to slogan shouting in the Upper House as Chairman M M Venkaiah Naidu rejected their plea to hold discussion over rising prices of cooking gas and petroleum products under Rule 267.

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 12 noon on Wednesday amid ruckus by Opposition parties against the price rise of fuel and cooking gas in the country. A similar scene unfolding in Lok Sabha led to its adjournment till 12 noon. Opposition parties including the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Shiv Sena and Congress resorted to sloganeering in the Upper House as Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu rejected their plea to hold discussion over rising prices of cooking gas and petroleum products under Rule 267.

Opposition MPs raised slogans against the Government and showed placards written as "Mahgai Ki Maar" (impact of inflation). Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav said that "everything has become expensive". Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge said, "I gave a note under 267 to conduct a debate over rising prices of cooking gas and petroleum products".

Rejecting the discussion, Naidu said he cannot allow discussion during Zero Hour as he has already accepted 24 important submissions linked to it. He added that the discussion sought by the Opposition party members can be allowed later in the day. As the Opposition party MPs did not consider Chairman's request to allow the functioning of the House and begin the Zero Hour, Naidu adjourned the House till 12.

The ruckus started soon after the papers were laid on the table. Petrol and diesel prices were hiked by 80 paise per litre for the second consecutive day across the country on Wednesday.