Congress demands discussion on fuel price in Parliament

Congress lawmakers continued their sloganeering to demand discussions on the rise in fuel prices in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge had given a suspension notice under Section 267, demanding a discussion in the house over rising fuel prices.

New Delhi: Congress party on Monday raised the issue of the rising price of petrol, diesel and LPG, as Leader of the opposition Mallikarjun Kharge demanded a discussion on this "burning subject" in the Rajya Sabha.

Kharge had given a suspension notice under Section 267, demanding a discussion in the house over rising fuel prices.

However, Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu refused to accept the notice saying that the issue can be raised during the discussion on the appropriation bill.

While addressing the media, Kharge explained, "Today under the rule 267, we gave notice to Chairman saying that the prices of petrol, diesel and LPG are increasing day by day, which is affecting everyone including the farmers and women. We wanted to have a detailed discussion in the House over the matter. But we didn't get permission."

He further added, "During 2013-14, the crude oil prices were exorbitantly compared to what it is today. But our government used to sell petrol at Rs 71 and diesel at Rs 34. Today, the crude oil prices in the international market are at Rs 65, while the government is increasing the prices of fuel and LPG every single day."

Kharge also alleged that the Central government has collected Rs 21 lakh crore by imposing excise duty and cess on fuel prices. He asserted that even the farmers are getting affected by the move.

He said that Congress will continue with the agitation against the rising fuel prices. The Opposition party demanded that the fuel prices should get back to the level they used to be in 2013-14.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Naseer Hussain also slammed the Central government.

"This government didn't allow us to have a discussion over farm laws, the decline of GDP growth or even on CAA-NRC issue. We want to ask, is there any place to have a discussion under our Parliamentary democracy? When we were raising slogans in the house, they called it unparliamentary. If people's issues are being called unparliamentary, then what do they mean by Parliamentary?"

On another issue, Congress MP Deepender Hooda attacked the government for not paying tribute to the farmers who laid their lives during their agitation against the three farm laws.