Day 3: Parliament disrupted over price rise

Parliament continued to be disrupted for the third consecutive day on Thursday with a noisy opposition taking up the issues of rising prices and statehood for Telangana, forcing two adjournments of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha till afternoon.

But peace was in sight with the government agreeing to admit a Left-backed adjournment motion on inflation -- under rule 193 that doesn't entail voting.

The protests led to the suspension of the Question Hour in both houses on day three of the winter session; with opposition MPs raising slogans and gathering near the podium of the presiding officers before walking out.

In the Lok Sabha, trouble began as soon as Speaker Meira Kumar called for Question Hour to start the day. MPs from the Telangana region in Andhra Pradesh, including from the Congress, were on their feet, flashing placards demanding a separate Telangana.

Seeking introduction of the Telangana bill in this session, Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) members led by K. Chandrashekhar Rao and Vijayashanti gathered near the speaker and shouted slogans. They were supported by Congress members from the region.

Meira Kumar adjourned the house till noon but protests returned when the house met, this time with Samajwadi Party (SP) members shouting slogans protesting rising prices and highlighting the government's alleged failure in curbing inflation.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MPs also demanded a debate on rising prices under rules that entail voting.

Amid the din, Meira Kumar announced that rules didn't permit her to consider the adjournment motions on "unprecedented rise in prices of essential commodities" moved by the SP.

However, she admitted a Left-backed adjournment motion on price rise under rule 193 that doesn't entail voting. The discussion would be taken up in the afternoon.

The speaker also said that no other matter could be raised in the Lok Sabha as the price rise debate was already listed in Thursday's business, indicating that the government was yet to decide on Bharatiya Janata Party leader L.K. Advani's adjournment motion on black money.

Her announcement didn't bring peace and the Lok Sabha was again adjourned within five minutes of its resumption at 12 noon.

Similar scenes were witnessed in the Rajya Sabha that was also adjourned till 2 p.m., after the initial disruption in the morning.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V. Narayanasamy said in the Rajya Sabha that the government was ready for a short duration discussion on price rise and the debate could start right away. "We are ready for a short-duration discussion (on price rise). We can start the discussion even now," he said.

As the members did not resume their seats and continued to press their demand, Khan adjourned the house till 2 p.m.

Members from the Left, BSP, Janata Dal-United and SP were demanding a discussion on price rise followed by voting. They were also joined by some members of the BJP.

Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan said that notices served by them for a discussion were under consideration but the members did not relent.