Parliament Budget Session: RS adjourned for the day following repeated disruptions over inflation, fuel price hike

The Rajya Sabha was on Monday adjourned for the day following repeated disruptions over rising prices of petroleum products and essential commodities with the Opposition protesting on the issue as their demand to hold a discussion on the matter was rejected.

Soon after the House met at 2 pm following two back-to-back adjournments-- one till noon and the other till 2 pm-- and the chair allowed to begin a discussion on the working of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, raised by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP M. Shanmugam on the March 30, the entire Opposition again started their protest.

Opposition members from Congress, Trinamool Congress, DMK, Shiv Sena and others stood on their seats and requested the chair to hold a discussion on the rising prices of petroleum products and essential commodities, and raised points about why advance notices submitted by several members under Rule 267 to hold a discussion on the issue were rejected.

TMC member Derek O'Brien took on the government, hitting "the government do not want to hold a discussion on price rise they don't want discussion on fuel..".

Amid the ruckus, Biju Janata Dal leader Sasmit Patra, on the chair, tried to conduct the proceeding peacefully.

Meanwhile, DMK member Tiruchi Siva raised a point of order, asking "why the notices given by us under Rule 267 to the Secretary-General to suspend all business of the House and conduct a discussion on hiking oil prices and many other notices were rejected".

As the pandemonium continued, Patra adjourned the House for the day, announcing its next meeting at 11 am on Tuesday.

The House was adjourned two times earlier too-- a few minutes after it assembled at noon following a similar adjournment over the issue in the early hours of the day.

Last month too, the Upper House faced a similar protest leading to adjournment over rising prices of fuel across the country.

In the first hike in four months, the fuel prices have been raised in India. Diesel and petrol prices have been hiked by 80 paise. It was in November when the country saw the last fuel price surge.

Petrol in the National Capital currently retails at Rs 103.81 per litre up from Rs 103.41 per litre on Sunday.

This is the 12th increase in prices since they were first hiked on March 22, ending a four-and-half-month long freeze since November 4, 2021.

( With inputs from ANI )