Rising fuel prices issue raised in Raj assembly, house adjourned twice before lunch

The Rajasthan Assembly was adjourned twice during the pre-lunch session Friday as the opposition Congress raised the issue of soaring fuel prices, farm loan-waiver and attacked the government over cane-charging of its youth activists during a protest.

The House was adjourned first for 45 minutes till 12 noon during Question Hour. When the members reassembled during Zero Hour, it was adjourned again till 2pm by the Speaker Kailash Meghwal as Opposition members trooped into the well.

As soon as the Question Hour began, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Rameshwar Dudi and Congress deputy whip Govind Singh Dotasara raised the issues of rising fuel prices and police action on Youth Congress workers Thursday, when they were protesting against alleged corruption in the Rafale deal and unemployment.

Dotasara said the government cane-charged the Youth Congress activists, who were protesting peacefully. The Congress legislators then trooped into the well of the House and shouted slogans against the government.

Ruling BJP accused the Congress of disrupting the Question Hour. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore said the people of the state are watching the conduct of the Opposition.

Education Minister Kiran Maheshwari said the government wants to answer the members' questions but the Congress doesn't want the House to function.

The Speaker also appealed to the members to go back to their seats. But, when they did not heed to the request, he adjourned the House.

As the members reassembled for Zero Hour, Congress legislators again trooped into the well after Meghwal refused to accept their adjournment motion on crop loan-waiver.

Both ruling and Opposition members exchanged barbs over the issue which led to pandemonium for almost 30 minutes.

Cooperative Minister Ajay Singh Kilak said 19.24 lakh farmers have received aid from the crop loan waiver fund in their bank accounts and the remaining beneficiaries will get the benefit by October 31.

While Kilak continued comparing BJP's works and schemes with those of the previous Congress government, members in the Opposition, including a few independent legislators, kept demanding discussion on crop loan-waiver issue.

The speaker refused to accept the motion.

The Opposition stayed in the well forcing the speaker to adjourn the House for a second time till 2pm.