The first half of Lok Sabha proceedings on Tuesday witnessed two disruptions after Opposition members demanded that there should be an immediate discussion on price rise and imposition of goods and services tax (GST) on essential items.
Congress members also raised the issue of ‘misuse’ of central agencies on a day when party chief Sonia Gandhi was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the National Herald case.
As soon as the House assembled at 11 a.m., Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla paid tributes to soldiers on Kargil Vijay Diwas.
Soon Opposition members went into the Well of the House and started shouting slogans and waving placards on the issue of high inflation and the GST.
Congress members in the Well were carrying placards seeking roll back of GST rates and prices of essential commodities and petroleum products.
While a few placards carried by Opposition members had the picture of Mahatma Gandhi with Satyameva Jayate written on it, some members were heard shouting, “The rule of ED will not be tolerated”.
“I will allow you to speak during Zero Hour. Please go back to your seats and take part in the proceedings, ”Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said, urging the members not to disrupt the House proceedings.
However, as the appeal didn’t have much effect, Mr. Birla adjourned for about 30 minutes, until 11.45 a.m.
When the House re-assembled at 11:45 a.m., DMK members came into the Well and started raising slogans and demanded revocation of suspension of four Congress members. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Supriya Sule was also seen raising slogans from her seat.
While the Congress members had walked out of the House to take part in a march outside the Lok Sabha, BJP member Rajendra Agarwal, who was in the Chair, took up the remaining part of the Question Hour and allowed the laying of papers on the table of the House before adjourning the House until 2 p.m.
Four Congress members — Manickam Tagore, Ramya Haridas, T.N. Prathapan and S. Jothimani – who were suspended on Monday for the rest of the session, continued their protest outside the Mahatma Gandhi statue inside the Parliament complex.
Since the start of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on July 18, the Opposition has been protesting and disrupting the proceedings over the issue of price rise and GST.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the discussion on price rise will take place once Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who was down with COVID-19, returns in a day or two. “Then, we’ll have a discussion,” he said.
